Top Polish court says govt legislation of choice of judges in line with constitution

A top court in Poland ruled on Monday that controversial rules introduced by the government that allow lawmakers to choose members of a judicial body are in line with the constitution. The verdict by the Constitutional Tribunal backs the government in its dispute with critics in Poland and in the EU. They say that only judges should have the right to choose members of the Supreme Judicial Council. Judge Justyn Piskorski said that there is nothing in the constitution that would deny judges the right to choose the council’s members, but that right is not limited to judges only, AP reports. Despite criticism and street protests, the ruling conservative Law and Justice party in 2017 pushed through legislation allowing the parliament to choose 15 out of the council’s 25 members.