Karol Nawrocki wants to rewrite the Polish Constitution and appoints a special council. Donald Tusk: “Start by respecting the current one”

The nationalist president of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, on Sunday appointed a council in charge of rewriting the country's Constitution. Among the members announced for this council are several personalities associated with the Law and Justice party (PiS). Although all parliamentary groups are invited to participate, it is not clear whether they will accept the invitation, reports Politico, according to News.ro.

Nawrocki announced his intention to revise the constitution on Friday, drawing criticism from Prime Minister Donald Tusk on social media. Before starting to draft a new constitution, “I suggest you start by respecting the current one,” Tusk wrote in response to Friday's announcement.

The President of Poland has the right to propose amendments to the Constitution, but they must be approved by two-thirds of the deputies in the lower house of the Parliament and by an absolute majority in the Senate. Both chambers are controlled by the ruling liberal coalition, which opposes Nawrocki.

The right-wing opposition PiS party, which supports Nawrocki, does not hold a majority in parliament, so there is no chance that any of Nawrocki's amendments will be passed. Nawrocki is engaged in a political battle with Tusk, who is pro-EU, and the president has sought to expand his powers, which are currently limited.

The appointment on Sunday of key positions within the council had a symbolic character, as May 3 is Constitution Day in Poland. In a post on social networks on the occasion of this day, Tusk wrote: “Only those nations that respect their constitutions have a chance of victory.”

The Council for the New Constitution has until the end of Nawrocki's current term, which ends in 2030, to draft an alternative constitution.