Polish SEJM adopted a new law on the election of the President of Poland in 2020

The lower house of the Polish parliament (Sejm) adopted a new bill on the election of the president of Poland, reports Trend compared to TASS. proposed by the party in power in the republic, Law and Justice. During the vote Tuesday evening, the project was supported by 244 deputies, 137 opposed, 77 abstained.

The bill updates the rules previously adopted by Parliament for the presidential elections scheduled for May 10. Authorities planned to carry them out remotely, by mail, across the country, so as not to pose an additional threat during the coronavirus epidemic, but work on the relevant law was delayed and it didn & # 39; was not possible to arrange a mail vote on time. . As a result, the National Election Commission had to declare the elections invalid.

Now, the authorities have decided that traditional elections should be held with the organization of polling stations, while giving everyone the opportunity to vote by mail. To do this, the voter will have to submit a request within a few days, after which he will receive a voting kit containing a ballot and a personal and secret ballot with envelopes to send them.

The new law also provides that ten candidates previously registered in the presidential elections, scheduled for May 10, can continue the campaign. They will be saved automatically. However, new candidates will be able to participate in the race, which will require the printing of new ballots.

During the discussion of the bill, the opposition expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that broad powers in the process of organizing the elections were transferred to the president of the Seimas. In addition, the criticism was caused by the absence in the law of provisions concerning security at polling stations in relation to the coronavirus epidemic. The document will now be presented to the Senate (upper house of Parliament), which will be able to work on it for 30 days. The date of the new elections may depend on it.

As the May 10 vote did not take place, the National Election Commission announced that the President of the Seimas should now call new elections within 14 days. They can take place on any Sunday within 60 days of the date of the announcement. As expected, the elections will be held in late June or July. The powers of current President Andrzej Duda expire on August 6.