Governing crisis in Poland draws protests

WARSAW — Thousands rallied in Warsaw and other Polish cities Saturday to protest the conservative government’s refusal to accept a constitutional court ruling that strikes down government changes that have paralyzed the court.

The protests come amid a deepening political crisis, with international organizations and the Constitutional Tribunal faulting Poland’s new government for centralizing its power.

[...] the government, which remains popular with conservative voters, announced Saturday it still is refusing to publish a ruling by the Constitutional Tribunal that struck down the amendments passed in December that have blocked the court.

On Friday, the Venice Commission, an expert body with the Council of Europe human rights group, said Poland’s democracy is being threatened by government moves that have “crippled” its constitutional court.