Poland pushes new laws to replace Supreme Court leader

Ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party adopted another round of amends to the bills on the judiciary, making firing and appointing judges by politicians even easier. The new law allows the government to select new Supreme Court leader when only two-thirds of the positions on the Supreme Court are filled, rather than requiring almost all positions to be occupied first, as has been the case. Sitting chief Judge Małgorzata Gersdorf, who PiS wants to dismiss, said that her term, according to Polish Constitution expires in 2020 and any bill won’t change that. “Two years ago, [PiS leader] Jarosław Kaczyński said that he would not physically throw me out of court, but he would take this away,” she said, holding up her security pass. PM Mateusz Morawiecki said on Thursday it was necessary to replace Gersdorf quickly to avoid damaging legal chaos and that Poland would not heed demands by the EU’s executive commission to reverse its laws on courts. The new laws are expected to come into force this week, once they are approved by Senate were PiS holds the majority and signed by the grouping’s ally, President Andrzej Duda. The European Union, as well as human rights groups and Polish opposition parties, say the government is infringing on the key democratic principle of impartial courts. Supreme Court,  among other things, rules on the validity of elections. Hundreds of gathered outside the parliament building earlier and clashed with the police, several people were injured and arrested.