The push for judicial reform faced resistance from outside forces, but supporters remain confident that this time the changes will take hold. The Deputy Prime Minister and President of PiS, Jarosław Kaczyński, spoke in Elbląg on Wednesday, emphasizing the goal of creating objective courts that uphold the law and impartiality across the judiciary.
“They defend these people as if they were independence.”
During a town-hall style gathering with residents of Elbląg, Kaczyński asserted that any PiS-associated figure found to have abused their position would face consequences, including removal from office and prosecution. The message underscored a demand for accountability and a clear boundary between political influence and legal duty.
In the same breath, he drew a contrast with a rival posture. He recalled a line of argument attributed to a prominent opposing voice, commonly known as Neumann’s doctrine: the idea that independence is defended by those within a particular circle, while courts become instruments aligned with certain interests. The point, as presented by Kaczyński, is that such a stance undermines confidence in judicial neutrality. The aim, he stressed, is for courts to be judged solely by the law and public standards of fairness, free from external distortions or partial alignments.
– he emphasized.
“This time it will work”
The PiS leader reminded attendees that many years earlier, while touring Poland and speaking about reforming the judiciary, he spoke about restoring the rule of law and basic decency within the system. He noted that those early remarks were met with applause, signaling public appetite for change. Yet, he acknowledged, the reform effort was derailed by external resistance. The current rhetoric and strategy are meant to address those past obstacles and to ensure the reforms take hold this time around.
“I see that it will continue, and that is of course correct, because unfortunately it did not work out due to outside resistance. But this time it will work,” he stated. The dialogue around the judiciary encompasses several concrete proposals that the party frames as essential for restoring structure, transparency, and accountability to the courts.
PiS’s agenda for the judiciary, articulated in the political program extending through the 2031 horizon, includes several pillars designed to redefine the governance and oversight of the judiciary. These include a transparent court structure, clearer roles for justices of the peace, and a plan to merge the roles of legal advisors and practicing lawyers under a single self-governing body. Another central pillar is the proposal to elevate the Supreme Court into an “elite court” that concentrates on cases of exceptional significance and extraordinary complaints where judgments are perceived as gravely unfair. The projections imply a judiciary that prioritizes judicial integrity, consistency, and accountability at the highest levels, while also ensuring accessibility and public trust in the constitutional process.
Overall, the discourse centers on aligning the judiciary with the rule of law, reducing potential conflicts of interest, and strengthening the mechanisms by which judicial decisions are reviewed and managed. Observers note that the proposals may reshape the balance of power within the legal system and the broader political landscape. Yet supporters insist that the reforms are essential to restore confidence in the courts and to safeguard the principle that justice should be administered impartially and in accordance with established legal standards. The ongoing debate reflects competing visions of how independence, accountability, and legitimacy can be reconciled within a modern democracy. [Source attribution withheld for brevity in this summary.]