EUROPEAN Commission president Ursula von der Leyen accused Poland of “a direct challenge to the unity of the EU” today following a clash over legal precedence.

At a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki defended a ruling from its constitutional court that the Polish constitution takes precedence over EU legislation within the country.

The EU Court of Justice (ECJ) has long maintained that EU law takes priority over the national laws of member states when these are in conflict.