President signs amendment to constitutional tribunal law

President Andrzej Duda has signed an amendment to the law on the constitutional court, according to which the tribunal's rulings are to be passed with a two-thirds majority with 13 out of 15 judges present and voting. Sejm passed the bill on Tuesday, December 22. In the previous version of the law, verdicts were passed with a simple majority with five judges present or nine in cases of particular importance. The amendment came into force on the day of announcement, which was also the signing day, December 28. President Duda said at a press conference that the regulations included in the new law will strengthen the position of the tribunal and its "authority in the eyes of the society." The opposition says that the new law will paralyze the constitutional court and would undermine democratic checks and balances. Earlier, the Constitutional Tribunal had ruled that the choice of three out five judges made by previous, PO-led parliament was constitutional and obliged President Andrzej Duda to swear them in. Instead, the President swore in five judges chosen with votes from PiS in November. The amendment may force the head of the tribunal to include the five judges chosen by the ruling party (PiS) to the court's composition. Otherwise, it will be unable to proceed.