Poland court rules against president, opposition in row over judges

Poland's Constitutional Court on Thursday ruled against both the president and the opposition over their legal manoeuvres to influence which judges are appointed to the top court, in a row that has divided the country and sparked street protests.

The eurosceptic Law and Justice (PiS) party, which won an October election and backs the president, and the defeated liberal Civic Platform (PO) party have been at each other's throats for weeks over what has been branded a constitutional crisis in Poland.

Each side has accused the other of seeking to introduce its own judges into the court, which rules on the constitutionality of laws and their implementation.

The conflict began in June, when the previous PO-controlled parliament passed legislation allowing the government to appoint two court members before their predecessors' terms were up -- in addition to three other new judges it was already legally allowed to choose.

New President Andrzej Duda, who was elected in May, refused to swear in the five judges, arguing that the former liberal parliamentary majority had "violated the democratic order" by appointing two of the judges prematurely.

On Thursday however, the court faulted Duda for refusing to swear in the judges, ruling that he "had a duty" to comply with the legislation.

But it also said the previous government had acted unconstitutionally by electing two judges before their predecessors' terms were up.

The court still has to rule on the constitutionality of another law, which the PiS introduced last month in order to elect its own set of judges.

Duda swore in four of those judges just after midnight late Wednesday, fanning the flames of discord with the opposition. The court is due to rule on the move next week.

As a result of the saga, the normally 15-member court now finds itself with 21 elected judges.

The feud has spilled onto the streets, with supporters of each side taking part in opposing demonstrations outside parliament on Wednesday night.

Demonstrators again gathered in the capital on Thursday, outside the court this time, where they were kept apart by police.

The two crowds traded insults, each side insisting it was defending democracy, although they set aside their differences at one point to sing the national anthem together.