The use of a vote counting device when the Sejm elected the Prime Minister in the so-called The second constitutional step is one of the changes that parliamentarians introduced to the Rules of the Sejm on Thursday. Other adopted changes aim to streamline the work of parliamentary committees in the area of the state budget.
The draft changes to the Rules of Order of the Sejm were presented by the Presidium of the Chamber. One of the most important changes is that the Sejm will elect the Prime Minister in the so-called the second constitutional step “on general principles”, i.e. voting will take place in principle by show of hands with simultaneous use of a vote counting device, and roll-call voting will be an optional form on which the Sejm could decide.
According to the applicants, the second amendment to the Rules of Procedure of the Sejm is intended to streamline the work of the Finance Commission in the field of the state budget. According to the amendments, this will not suspend the further work of the Public Finance Committee if the relevant committee does not submit its position to the Public Finance Committee within the specified period.
The statement of reasons states that the Presidium of the Sejm sets the deadline for submitting positions containing conclusions, opinions or proposed amendments, together with a statement of reasons, to the Sejm committees to which individual parts of the budget are allocated. The applicable provisions do not regulate the consequences if these committees fail to submit their views in a timely manner.
The PiS and Confederation amendments were rejected
In Thursday’s vote, 244 deputies voted in favor of changes to the Rules of the Sejm, 203 were against and no one abstained. The amendments by PiS and Confederation MPs did not receive support.
During Wednesday’s debate, Deputy Marshal Monika Wielichowska (KO) announced that the project in the election of the Prime Minister in the second constitutional step assumes a deviation from the “archaic roll-call vote, in which parliamentarians throw away notes signed with their signature.” name and surname in the ballot box.”
Kazimierz Smoliński (PiS) especially criticized the change in the work of the Finance Commission in the field of the state budget. According to him, this is a clear reduction in the quality of work in the field of state finances and a gross reduction in the quality of the Sejm’s work in the field of the state budget.
Jarosław Urbaniak (KO) emphasized that the proposed changes to the Rules of Order of the Sejm delete one of the most archaic provisions that were unintentionally ‘stuck’ in the Rules, namely the method of roll-call voting on the election of the Prime Minister in the so-called second constitutional step.
The proposed changes in the area of the committee’s work on the budget were also criticized by Michał Wawer (Confederation). He argued that parliamentary committees “do not actually have to work, the public finance committee will handle the budget itself, there is no need for other committees to add or supplement anything.”
On Thursday, the Sejm rejected Kazimierz Smoliński’s amendments to the draft amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the Sejm.
We propose to introduce an obligation for all parliamentary clubs and groups to submit declarations when supporting or refusing support to the Council of Ministers.
– Smoliński said on Wednesday. He added that it also concerns the opportunity to ask questions to the Prime Minister and members of the Council of Ministers.
Smoliński also announced that the amendments propose to introduce the possibility for the President of the Sejm to in turn give the floor to the President of the Club, with a limit of one speech on each agenda item.
In addition, we want to replace the current information and questions about current affairs with a solution in the form of questions to the Prime Minister and members of the Council of Ministers.
– added.
The Confederation demanded the lifting of the “parliamentary freeze”, which they said had been promised by the Marshal of the Sejm, Szymon Hołownia. In the rejected amendment, the Confederation proposed that “the first reading of a draft law or resolution should take place no later than six months from the date of submission of the draft law or resolution in writing to the President of the Sejm.”
kk/PAP
Source: wPolityce