Six national committees and the path to the Sejm
The political landscape in Poland for the parliamentary elections includes PiS, the Civic Coalition, the Left, Third Way Poland 2050, PSL, Confederation, and the Non-Party Local Governments as six national committees. These groups are listed by the National Election Commission as the bodies that will nominate candidates for the Sejm across the country.
A report on the official PKW site confirms that these six committees have registered candidate lists in at least half of Poland’s constituencies. This level of registration enables them to nominate Sejm candidates nationwide in line with electoral law.
In the Sejm elections, a minimum threshold governs eligibility. At least 35 percent of candidates on each list must be women, and the remaining candidates must meet the age requirements. A candidate for deputy must be a Polish citizen with the right to vote and be at least 21 years old on Election Day. For senatorial candidates, the minimum age is 30.
The Electoral Act requires a certain level of citizen support for each list. Deputies must secure at least 5,000 signatures from voters residing in the corresponding constituency. For senatorial candidates, the threshold is 2,000 signatures from voters within the constituency.
Candidates are ineligible if they have been deprived of public rights or have been definitively convicted of an intentional crime or a tax offense prosecuted by the state.
Poland’s Sejm is organized into 41 districts, each with varying numbers of representatives. The Czestochowa district is the smallest, electing seven deputies, while the capital city Warsaw is the largest, returning twenty members. The country is set to elect a total of 460 deputies and 100 senators for four-year terms in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
The election is scheduled for 15 October. This nationwide contest will determine the composition of the two houses of the Polish parliament, shaping the legislative landscape for the next four years.
Unverified rumors about links
In the days leading up to the deadline for submitting lists of deputy and senator candidates, rumors circulated on social media about whether the Left had completed its registrations. Commentary from public figures and observers added to the chatter, though the PKW confirmed registrations in all districts for the submitted lists.
Public figures involved in the discourse included Roman Giertych, a candidate from another party, and Witold Tumanowicz of Confederation, each commenting on the process as it unfolded.
Social media chatter specifically questioned whether the party known as the Left had failed to register its lists. In fact, the PKW published registrations for all lists in every district, and extensive signatures were reportedly collected. The focus shifted to the credibility of the rumors themselves.
One deputy observed that it is important to distinguish between the deadline for submitting lists and the actual registration process. Clarifications from party representatives indicated that registrations continued beyond the submission date, and updates followed as campaigns advanced.
Subsequent statements from left-leaning politicians emphasized that registrations were complete in all districts and highlighted the substantial number of signatures gathered. The ongoing campaign atmosphere remained intense as the election process moved forward.
The political climate during this period was highly charged, and even routine procedural steps taken by electoral committees elicited strong reactions from opponents and supporters alike.
olnk/PAP/Twitter/wPolityce.pl
Source: wPolityce