Skip to main content
Friday, November 13, 2026Nov 13
Subscribe
All Sections
Search
More

The Latest: Thousands protest in Warsaw against legal reform

A big Polish national flag is spread by protesters in front of the parliament as police officers guard the building in Warsaw, Poland, Tuesday, July 18, 2017. Poland's lawmakers began a heated debate about the controversial draft law by the ruling populist party that will reorganize the work of the Supreme Court, which, the opposition says, will subordinate the court to the justice minister. (AP Photo/Alik Keplicz)
A big Polish national flag is spread by protesters in front of the parliament as police officers guard the building in Warsaw, Poland, Tuesday, July 18, 2017. Poland's lawmakers began a heated debate about the controversial draft law by the ruling populist party that will reorganize the work of the Supreme Court, which, the opposition says, will subordinate the court to the justice minister. (AP Photo/Alik Keplicz)

By Associated Press 4 min read

WARSAW, Poland (AP) – The Latest on Poland’s parliamentary vote (all times local):

8:40 p.m.

Thousands of government opponents have gathered in downtown Warsaw to urge Poland’s president to reject legislation recently approved by lawmakers that gives politicians control of the judiciary, including the country’s top court.

Opposition lawmakers and celebrities have joined the crowd in front of the presidential palace that is chanting “free courts” and waving national and European Union flags. The demonstrators sang the national anthem to stress that they are defending Polish values.

They want President Andrzej Duda to veto a bill adopted by lawmakers on Thursday that gives the president the power to regulate the work of the Supreme Court and to appoint its judges. They also want Duda to veto two earlier pieces of legislation regarding a key judicial body and ordinary courts.