In Poland, the dispute between President Andrzej Duda and the new Government is widening. Marcin Mastaleric, Duda's office director, told Zeit Radio today that the president is sticking by Prosecutor General Dariusz Barski, who was dismissed by Justice Minister Adam Bodnar.

The dismissal was illegal. The Ministry of Justice justified this move by saying that Barsky was retired at the time of his appointment. But the law does not allow this.

The liberal government coalition led by pro-European Prime Minister Donald Tusk replaced the right-wing coalition led by PiS in December.

Increasing internal political tensions

President Duda is close to the PiS. In recent weeks, the Tusk government has begun to reverse several reforms introduced by PiS, which have been widely criticized at home and abroad as restricting the independence of the judiciary and the media.

The conflict that followed the change of government increases Internal Political Tensions in Poland. Last week, tens of thousands of supporters of the Leave-voting PiS party gathered in front of Parliament to protest the imprisonment of two former ministers convicted of abuse of power. Duda said that he had begun amnesty procedures for politicians.