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Poland rejects constitutional court ruling Polish protests as government rejects court ruling
(34 minutes later)
The Polish government is standing by its refusal to publish a ruling by the Constitutional Court that struck down laws affecting the court's work. Thousands of people are protesting in the Polish capital Warsaw as a constitutional crisis between the government and the top court deepens.
Publishing the ruling would make it binding. The government wants to change the way the court works, but the court says the changes are unconstitutional.
On Friday, a pan-European advisory council on human rights said the Polish government's new laws would endanger the rule of law and the functioning of the democratic system. The government has refused to publish the court's ruling because to do so would make it binding.
Protesters have gathered outside the court in the capital Warsaw. Critics say the changes would limit the court's ability to scrutinise government legislation.
The new rules increase the number of judges needed for a ruling and change the order in which cases are heard. Since it came to power last October, the new government of the conservative, populist Law and Justice party (PiS) has regularly clashed with the media and the opposition.
Last week, the Constitutional Court struck down the rules as unconstitutional. In Warsaw, demonstrators waving Polish and EU flags marched from the Constitutional Court to the presidential palace. Rallies also took place in the cities of Poznan and Wroclaw.
Since it came to power last October, the conservative, populist Law and Justice party (PiS) has regularly clashed with the media and the opposition. The government says the protests are proof that democracy is thriving in Poland. It argues that it won a strong mandate in elections last October to introduce sweeping reforms.
Why is Poland worrying the EU?Why is Poland worrying the EU?
Government takes control of state mediaGovernment takes control of state media
The new rules increase the number of Constitutional Court judges needed for a ruling and change the order in which cases are heard.
Last week, the Constitutional Court struck down the rules as unconstitutional.
The Polish government has refused to publish the court's decision, saying the judges were not following the very rules they were evaluating.The Polish government has refused to publish the court's decision, saying the judges were not following the very rules they were evaluating.
The new rules will now go to parliament for debate, a government spokesman told a news conference on Saturday.The new rules will now go to parliament for debate, a government spokesman told a news conference on Saturday.
The European Union has also criticised the legislation. Last month, a draft report by the Council of Europe - a human rights watchdog - said the changes made it extremely difficult for the court to take decisions, thereby endangering the rule of law.