Poland's post-communist hero warns against 'undemocratic' curbs on court

Nobel prize winner Lech Wałęsa calls for reversal of law that reduces
constitutional court’s checks on power, as ruling party draws concerns from EU

Alex Duval Smith in Warsaw and Julian Borger
Wednesday 23 December 2015 17.05 GMT

Lech Wałęsa, the leader of Poland’s Solidarity movement in the 1980s, has warned democracy is at risk after the country’s rightwing governing party sought to curb the power of the constitutional court.

Wałęsa, who served as president for five years after the fall of communism, called for a referendum to reverse a law passed on Tuesday night by the Law and Justice party (PiS). That law would require the constitutional tribunal reach a two-thirds majority to issue rulings and block legislation, raising the bar from a simple majority. Thirteen of its 15 judges would have to be present for contentious cases, rather than nine as at present.

Critics say the law virtually eliminates the court as a check on the power of the government, which controls both houses of parliament after October elections.

The PiS-led government was sworn in on 16 November, with Beata Szydło as prime minister. But critics say the shots are being called by what they say is the party’s divisive and vindictive chief, Jarosław Kaczyński.

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