Polish President Andrzej Duda signed legislation on the evening of December 17 which reinstates Supreme Court judges who were forced into early retirement. The European Court of Justice (CJEU) had ruled earlier in the day that Poland must immediately suspend judicial reforms that forced Supreme Court judges to retire at the age of 65.
Poland’s parliament passed a revision to the law in late November following an interim injunction against its implementation, freezing any changes to the existing system. The injunction came after a complaint by the European Commission which questioned the legality of the law. The CJEU’s ruling confirmed that interim measure.
The quick response comes amid a broader push by Poland’s conservative ruling party, Law and Justice (PiS), to ease tensions with the EU.
The CJEU is expected to make a final decision on the case in 2019.
