Previously, the State Election Commission declared the May 10 elections invalid.
The Lower House of the Polish Parliament (Sejm) adopted a new draft law on presidential elections in Poland, proposed by the ruling party “Law and Justice”. During the voting held on Tuesday night, the draft was supported by 244 deputies, 137, 77 abstained.
The bill updates the rules previously adopted by Parliament for the presidential election scheduled for 10 May. The authorities had planned to hold them remotely – by mail – nationwide so as not to pose an additional threat during the coronavirus epidemic, but work on the law was delayed and the postal vote could not be organized in time. As a result, the State Election Commission had to declare the elections invalid.
The authorities now decided that traditional elections should be held with the organization of polling stations, while giving everyone who wished to vote by mail the opportunity to do so. To do this, a voter will have to submit a relevant application within a few days, after which they will receive a voting package containing a ballot paper and an application for personal and secret voting with envelopes for sending them.
The new law also provides that the ten candidates previously registered in the presidential election scheduled for 10 May will be able to continue their campaign. They will be automatically registered. However, new candidates will also be able to participate in the race, which will require printing new ballots.
During the discussion of the draft law, the opposition expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that broad powers in the process of organising the elections were delegated to the Speaker of the Sejm. In addition, the lack of provisions in the law regarding security at polling stations due to the coronavirus epidemic was criticized. The document will now go to the Senate (upper house of parliament), which can work on it for 30 days. The date of the new elections may depend on this.
After the voting on May 10 did not take place, the State Election Commission announced that the Speaker of the Sejm must now schedule new elections within 14 days. They can take place on any Sunday within 60 days from the date of announcement. Elections are expected to take place in late June or July. The term of office of incumbent President Andrzej Duda will expire on August 6.