Duda signs judicial overhaul bill

President Andrzej Duda has signed into law two bills overhauling the judiciary. “These were my bills, there was no reason not to sign them. I would like these bills to be thoroughly analyzed by the European institutions so that there would be a fact-based discussion, not political activity,” he said announcing his decision referring to the European Council decision to initiate procedures that could end in Warsaw losing its voting rights. In July, Duda unexpectedly vetoed the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) reform proposals following nationwide protests and warnings from Poland’s Western allies about the politicization of the courts. The changes were aimed at overhauling the National Council of the Judiciary (KRS), which nominates judges, and the Supreme Court, which among other things, rules on the validity of elections. He proposed a new bill, which he signed now with PiS amendments. The most important change included giving the parliament power to nominate top judges instead of the justice minister as PiS initially wanted. The new law also lowers the retirement age for the Supreme Court’s judges to 65 from 70, effectively forcing the immediate removal of 40 percent of the currently appointed judges. The Supreme Court confirms election results and is the court of the last appeal in Poland. It also introduces the possibility to make a complaint regarding any court’s decision from the past 20 years.