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Who Will Win in Rule-of-Law Clash Between Poland and EU?

Jamie Dettmer

   A long-running conflict between the European Commission and Warsaw over
   controversial judicial reforms in Poland is coming to a head, say
   analysts, despite efforts by French President Emmanuel Macron to play
   down the dispute during a visit Monday to Poland.

   Since taking office in 2015, Poland's ruling Law and Justice Party
   (PiS) has passed laws giving the government more direct control over
   the courts and judges, violating rule-of-law commitments when the
   country joined the European Union.

   Last year, the PiS-controlled parliament and the country's Supreme
   Court issued rival rulings on the legality of the judicial reforms,
   which include the government assuming power to appoint, promote and
   discipline judges. The conflicting rulings in January have thrown the
   country's legal order into chaos.

   Poland's government has shrugged off EU complaints, fueling tensions
   between Warsaw and European institutions including the European Court
   of Justice. Administrators in the European Union fear that other
   central European leaders will be emboldened by Poland. Hungary has also
   introduced controversial judicial changes, incurring the anger of
   Brussels.

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