3:44 22 January 2026
Judges to choose judges
The Sejm held a first reading of the government’s bill to reform the National Council of the Judiciary (KRS) and the Electoral Code. The proposal shifts selection of 15 judge-members of the KRS from parliament to direct, secret elections by all judges, supervised by the National Electoral Commission. Candidates must have at least ten years on the bench and five years in their current post. The Ministry of Justice argues the change restores judicial independence and introduces transparency via public hearings and a new Social Council composed of legal organizations and NGOs.
Coalition parties backed the reform, calling it a step toward depoliticizing the courts. Opposition groups PiS and Confederation moved to reject the bill, labeling it unconstitutional or counterproductive; their motion failed (182–232, eight abstentions). The bill now goes to the Justice and Human Rights Committee. It represents the coalition’s second attempt to overhaul the KRS after a 2024 reform was struck down by the Constitutional Tribunal.
