A year has passed since Waldemar Żurek took over the Ministry of Justice, and the balance sheet of the legal and right-wing press is severe. "Rzeczpospolita" simply writes that the minister failed to get the courts out of the crisis, and his position in government weakened adequate that present "he struggles for survival". The banner reforms are stuck, and the promise to separate key functions remained on paper.
Year since the shift
Waldemar Żurek took the ministry on 24 July 2025, in the reconstruction of Donald Tusk's government, replacing Adam Bodnar. He besides assumed the combined function of Minister of Justice and lawyer General. In his office, he announced decisive action and fast "re-establishment of the regulation of law". After 12 months, the legal environment assessment is cool.
Reforms that have not moved
The 2 pillars of the planned redevelopment of the justice strategy are stuck. The law on the position of alleged neo-judges was stuck in the Sejm and the improvement of the National Judiciary Council hit the veto of president Karol Nawrocki. The courts are inactive facing gigantic backlogs, and the citizen waiting for the trial did not feel any improvement. "The head of the justice department failed to improve the courts and to bring Temids out of a major crisis. There remains waiting for a breakthrough" — this year is summed up by Rzeczpospolita.
Path Effects
There are real consequences behind the dry balance sheet. The unresolved position of neo-judges means that many judgments can inactive be challenged, and uncertainty about the ruling compositions translates into further postponements. The improvement of the National Judicial Council, which was expected to reconstruct her independence, after the presidential veto was stuck. The dispute over the regulation of law, alternatively of closing down, entered a pat phase where neither organization can impose its own solution. Meanwhile, a citizen counting on more efficient courts inactive feels the same backlog and the same deadlines.
Uncovered promise
A separate chapter is the unrealized announcement of the separation of the function of Minister of Justice and lawyer General. It was intended to limit the political impact on the prosecution and was 1 of the key slogans of the campaign. It has remained in the sphere of declaration to this day. The chief activity of the minister has been staff changes: recalling the Presidents of the courts and redeployment in the prosecutors, where critics perceive political micromanagement alternatively than systemic repair.
Weakness
Also behind the harsh assessment is politics inside the power camp. Publicists point out that Żurek's position in the office has decreased, hence the expression about "the fight for survival". "Though something has moved, we are inactive waiting for a breakthrough and promised healing of Themida," says the newspaper. For the average Pole, the dispute over the regulation of law inactive remains a war fought on top, without being translated into shorter queues in courts and more efficient proceedings.
Annual Account
Thus, the first year’s balance is set in the image of the resort, which predicted a lot and did little. Reforms blocked, standard promise unfulfilled, and the dailyity of courts unchanged. How many more breakthroughs will the power promise before the citizen sees the real difference where he meets the justice system?
