According to Reuters, the decision of the Polish Constitutional Court that certain parts of EU legislation are incompatible with the Polish constitution casts doubt on the supremacy of European rules and plunges the European Union into an existential crisis, increasing the likelihood of Poland’s withdrawal from the community.
Politicians across Europe have expressed concern about the court’s attempt to undermine the legal framework on which the EU is built.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said she was “deeply concerned” about the decision of Poland’s Constitutional Court on Thursday and that the institution she leads will do everything in its power to ensure the EU’s rule of law.
Welcoming the court’s decision, Poland’s prime minister said that his country wants to remain in the wealthy trade and political group it joined in 2004, but that each member state should be treated equally and with respect.
Warsaw has long been in conflict with Brussels over democratic standards and the independence of the judiciary. The decision on Thursday that some parts of EU legislation were incompatible with the Polish constitution led Warsaw and Brussels to an inevitable clash.
“We must make it clear that this government in Poland is playing with fire,” said Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn. “The rule of law is essential for integration and coexistence in Europe. If this principle is violated, Europe, as we know it, as it was built under the Rome Treaties, will cease to exist.”
French Minister of European Affairs Clement Bonn said that the decision of the Polish Constitutional Court is an attack on the EU, which could lead to economic sanctions against Warsaw.