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Riot police are deployed at Poland's constitutional court after its chief judge is suspended, and the president cuts short a foreign trip to join protests

Riot police were deployed at Poland's Constitutional Tribunal on Friday after government-appointed judges suspended its president, Bogdan Święczkowski, an appointee of the previous Law and Justice (PiS) government. President Karol Nawrocki turned back from a flight to Senegal and joined protesters, while PiS figures called the move a 'coup'. Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government says it is depoliticising the judiciary.

L 50% · C 17% · R 33% · 30 outlets

Left 1 · Centre-left 14 · Centre 5 · Centre-right 4 · Right 6

ContextSources by leanVideoDeep diveFollow the moneyMore coverage

How each side framed it

Left-leaning outlets

A government move against a contested court: 'Riot police deployed to Poland’s constitutional court after judge suspended' (The Guardian); 'Poland suspends top judges as battle over rule of law escalates' (Financial Times).

Centre outlets

Centre-rated outlets headline it: “Polish riot police deployed as deposed court chief sets off crisis” (France 24); “Polish president turns back from Senegal trip after top court chief suspended” (Reuters).

Right-leaning outlets

A 'coup' against the court: 'Polish president turns plane around after 'coup' at nation’s top court' (Fox News); 'Polish President Rushes Home Amid Claims Of Coup' (Daily Caller).

Context

The wider geopolitical and historical background, in our words, each point linked to the source it comes from. Background, not a verdict on today's story. How we write it.

Poland's Constitutional Tribunal rules on whether laws comply with the constitution.

Checked 2026-10-31. Links were opened and returned a page that day.

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Sources by lean

Balanced: the same number of articles from the left, the centre and the right (up to 3 each). The bar above still counts every rated outlet we found. Bias and factual ratings come from Media Bias/Fact Check. How we balance · All ratings.

Left 3

Centre 3

Right 3

Showing 3 from each side of 30 rated outlets (L 15 / C 5 / R 10). More coverage

Video

News reports from outlets with a bias rating, balanced like the articles: the same number from the left, the centre and the right. A side with no matching video is named, never padded. Every video was checked to exist on YouTube on the day; titles are the publishers' own. Links open YouTube; nothing from YouTube loads on this page. How we pick.

Left 0

No left-rated outlet video found for this story. We don't fill the gap with an unrelated video.

Centre 0

No centre-rated outlet video found for this story. We don't fill the gap with an unrelated video.

Right 0

No right-rated outlet video found for this story. We don't fill the gap with an unrelated video.

No rated outlet video found yet.

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Deep dive

The two opposites side by side, seeking to understand rather than judge. These are possible readings of the coverage, built from the articles linked on this page; they are not claims about anyone's motives. How we write it.

Seen from the left

“Polish president turns plane around to return home as court chief’s suspension sparks protest” CNN

A possible reading: the government is undoing a politicised court and restoring the rule of law.

May be protecting: courts free of appointees seen as partisan.

Seen from the right

“Riot police deployed to Poland's top court amid claims of 'coup' over suspension of chief judge in battle between Donald Tusk's centrist government and nationalist right” Daily Mail

A possible reading: the government is overriding a constitutional body it does not control.

May be protecting: the court's existing authority and the president's role.

What they agree on

The tribunal's president, Bogdan Święczkowski, was suspended on Friday; President Karol Nawrocki cut short a trip to Senegal, and police deployed as protesters gathered outside the court. Both sides say Poland needs a court whose rulings everyone accepts.

Where they truly differ

Whether the suspension restores the rule of law or breaks it.

The paradox

Both camps say they are defending judicial independence.

Open questions

  • Who has the legal power to suspend the tribunal's president?
  • What do EU institutions say about the tribunal's status?
  • Shared question: what appointment process would both camps accept as legitimate?

Follow the money

Not yet researched. We haven't yet looked at who gains or loses financially from this story, or who funds the main voices on each side. When we do, we check company filings, the Electoral Commission donations register, lobbying registers, annual reports, InfluenceMap and OpenSecrets, and we apply the same checks to every side. How we follow the money.

Who owns or funds the outlets covering this story (29 outlets)
OutletLeanOwnership & funding (MBFC)
HaaretzLeftAccording to the Financial Times, Haaretz does not report its earnings. They were also the first Israeli paper to introduce the paywall. For subscription fees, please see here. source
Associated PressCentre-leftThe Associated Press (AP) is a nonprofit news cooperative with a profit of $1.6 million in 2016. It also sells content to other media organizations. According to an article titled “ AP reports loss on one-time accounting charges,” t he Associated Press lost $74 million in 2017, and it states the reason as “mostly due to one-time accounting charges related to the federal tax overhaul passed late last year.” source
BloombergCentre-leftMichael R. Bloomberg is the founder and majority owner of Bloomberg LP (The parent company of Bloomberg News). According to Investopedia, Bloomberg Terminal (remote software used to access financial information) is the most expensive among financial data providers. source
CNNCentre-leftNo ownership data found
Daily MirrorCentre-leftBritish Publishing Company Reach plc (formerly Trinity Mirror) owns The Daily Mirror. Revenue is generated through digital advertising, print ads, and subscription fees. source
Deutsche WelleCentre-leftThe German government funds Deutsche Welle (DW). They state, “DW is financed via funding from the state – i.e., from tax revenue. This is in contrast to the domestic public channels, which are funded via broadcasting fees.” source
EuronewsCentre-leftEuronews is owned by Alpac Capital, a Portugal-based investment fund that acquired an 88% stake in July 2022, with the remaining 12% held by government-supported broadcasters from Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Ownership also has business ties with Hungary’s Viktor Orban. source
NBC NewsCentre-leftNo ownership data found
Politico EuropeCentre-leftOn 8/26/2021, German publisher Axel Springer purchased Politico and Politico Europe for a reported 1 billion dollars. Axel Springer owns numerous publications, including Bild, Business Insider, and Fakt. source
The GuardianCentre-leftThe Guardian and its companion publication, the Sunday newspaper The Observer, are owned by Guardian Media Group plc (GMG). Scott Trust Limited was created in 1936 to ensure the editorial independence of the publications and owns Guardian Media Group plc (GMG). source
The IndependentCentre-leftThe Independent is owned by Independent Print Limited, a company owned by the Lebedev family (Alexander Lebedev and his son Evgeny Lebedev). In 2017, Saudi Businessman Sultan Muhammad Abuljadayel bought a 30% stake in the Independent online newspaper. Advertising and subscription generate revenue for the paper..push({}); source
Times of IsraelCentre-leftThe Times of Israel is co-owned by David Horovitz and Seth Klarman. Revenue is generated through advertising..push({}); source
USA TodayCentre-leftUSA Today is owned by the Gannett Company, headquartered in McLean, Virginia. It is one of the largest newspaper publishers in the United States, with interests in newspapers, digital marketing services companies, and television broadcasting. Subscriptions and advertising generate revenue. source
Ynet NewsCentre-leftYedioth Ahronoth owns Ynetnews. Advertising derives revenue. source
BBC NewsCentreThe BBC operates under a Royal Charter. Oversight is managed by the BBC Board, and regulatory authority rests with Ofcom. source
Financial TimesCentreThe Financial Times is owned by The Nikkei, a Japanese news and financial information company that publishes the leading financial paper, The Nikkei. The FT generates revenue through subscriptions, a hard paywall, and advertising..push({}); source
France 24CentreFrance 24 is owned by France Médias Monde, a state-owned French holding company that supervises and coordinates the activities of the major public media organizations broadcasting or publishing internationally from France. Besides government funding, they also generate revenue through advertising. source
ReutersCentreIn April 2008, the British company Reuters Group was acquired by Thomson Corporation and formed Thomson Reuters. source
Sky NewsCentreSky News is owned by Comcast as of November 2018 and is funded through advertising. Rupert Murdoch is no longer affiliated with Sky News UK; however, Newscorp still has a share of Sky News Australia, which reports with a right-leaning bias. source
Jerusalem PostCentre-rightIn 1989, the paper was purchased by Hollinger Inc. for $17-million, which Canadian-born British Conservative Conrad Black owned. Conrad Black later was charged with “swindling his company, Hollinger International, of $60 million.” He was serving a prison sentence; however, in 2019, President Donald Trump pardoned him. source
New York PostCentre-rightThe New York Post is owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, which owns many conservative/sensational media outlets worldwide. The paper is funded through advertising, subscriptions, and newsstand sales. source
Washington ExaminerCentre-rightThe Washington Examiner is owned by Clarity Media Group, owned by Philip Anschutz, an American billionaire entrepreneur who describes himself as a “conservative Christian.” Anschutz is also the owner of the right-leaning Weekly Standard and has donated millions of dollars to right-leaning causes, including anti-LGBT groups, such as the Family Research Council, which has been labeled a hate group. source
Washington TimesCentre-rightOperations Holdings Inc is the Washington Times owner, owned by the Unification Church of South Korea, through their holding company HSA-UWC (Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity). In 1954, Reverend Sun Myung Moon founded this religious movement in South Korea, known for its mass weddings, and its members are referred to as “Moonies.” source
Daily CallerRightNo ownership data found
Daily MailRightThe Daily Mail is published by Associated Newspapers Limited, part of Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT). DMGT is controlled by the Rothermere family and is 100% owned by Rothermere Continuation Limited. Jonathan Harmsworth, 4th Viscount Rothermere, serves as Chairman..push({}); DMGT became privately owned after delisting from the London Stock Exchange in 2022. source
Daily WireRightBentkey Ventures, LLC (formerly Forward Publishing, LLC) owns the Daily Wire, which was heavily backed and co-founded by fossil fuel billionaires Farris and Dan Wilks. The platform generates revenue through a hybrid model combining premium digital subscriptions via DailyWire+, targeted advertising, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce. source
Fox NewsRightRupert Murdoch is the owner and a board member of News Corp 21st Century Fox. According to Reuters, James Murdoch (son) was chief executive of 21st Century Fox and left in May 2018. L achlan (the other son of Murdoch) and Rupert Murdoch will serve as the new Fox co-chairman. source
GB NewsRightGB News lacks transparency as they do not disclose ownership. A search reveals that London-based ALL Perspectives Ltd owns GB News. According to Reuters, the television channel “secured millions of dollars from investors such as Discovery Inc, Legatum and hedge fund manager Paul Marshall. source
NewsmaxRightNewsmax is owned by publicly traded Newsmax Inc., which began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol NMAX on March 31, 2025. The company completed a $75 million public offering after previously raising approximately $225 million through a preferred-stock offering. source