Deputy Prime Minister, Defense Minister and Polish People’s Party (PSL) leader Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz met on Thursday with Sławomir Mentzen, one of the leaders of the Confederation party. Confederation spokesman Wojciech Machulski told PAP that the meeting dealt with the crisis surrounding the Constitutional Tribunal.
On Thursday evening, Mentzen and Kosiniak-Kamysz posted a joint photo on their profiles on the X platform. The Confederation leader captioned it “it’s turning out well,” while the PSL chief wrote: “Everyone’s talking about it today… how was the day? Very busy.”
The Confederation spokesman told PAP that the PSL and Confederation leaders discussed ways to resolve the crisis surrounding the Constitutional Tribunal. “There will soon be more details, and perhaps the fruits of these talks,” Machulski said.
Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk was asked on Polsat News about the meeting and about whether the Civic Coalition would agree to a “constitutional reset.” He said that “in the case of various kinds of social unrest, Kosiniak-Kamysz always looks for a bit of a third way.”
“As far as the Constitutional Tribunal is concerned, I believe the matter has been closed. Today we have judges who were elected by the Sejm, and today they must organize their work (…),” he added.
“I have great respect for Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. I am a deputy minister in the Ministry of National Defense, but my boss is Donald Tusk, and the prime minister is Donald Tusk. We will make our decision at the proper time,” he clarified when pressed on whether he would support or reject the draft bill on a constitutional reset.
On Thursday, Kosiniak-Kamysz presented a draft bill amending the constitution, dubbed the “constitutional reset.” He addressed opposition groups that had declared a willingness to change the constitution, namely Confederation and Rozwój Plus. “So now PSL, and I personally, am telling you: ‘I call.’ Was it just words, to strike a pose in political theater, or is it a real role that you want to play in the Republic and in repairing it?” the PSL leader said.
The draft provides that, at the reasoned request of the National Council of the Judiciary, the National Assembly (the Sejm and Senate sitting jointly) could declare the Constitutional Tribunal permanently unable to perform its duties, by a majority of at least 3/5 of the statutory number of members (336 lawmakers). By the same majority, in a single vote, it would then elect a new 15-member Tribunal, with five judges serving terms of 3, 6 and 9 years.
Candidates would be nominated by the Speaker of the Sejm after consulting, among others, the presidents of the Supreme Court and the Supreme Administrative Court, and with the prior consent of the president. On the day the new bench is elected, the terms of the current Constitutional Tribunal judges would expire, and they would retire.
Submitting the bill requires the signatures of at least 92 lawmakers. The PSL caucus has 32 members, and the PSL leader is counting on the support of Polska 2050. He also appealed for signatures to the other coalition partners, as well as to Confederation and Rozwój Plus. Amending the constitution requires a two-thirds majority in the Sejm and an absolute majority in the Senate.
Sejm Speaker Włodzimierz Czarzasty has expressed skepticism about changing the constitution during this term, and Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek said a “reset” can be discussed if it does not halt the Tribunal’s work. Rozwój Plus lawmakers submitted their own “constitutional reset” bill in early October. (PAP)
