Polish Parliament Rejects Amendment to End Two-Term Limit for Local Leaders

On Thursday the Sejm dismissed a draft amendment to the electoral code introduced by the Polish People's Party, which sought to eliminate the statutory two-term restriction for wójtowie, burmistrzowie and city presidents. The roll-call recorded 213 votes in favor, 215 against, and nine members who abstained, resulting in the defeat of the proposal. Prime Minister Donald Tusk, addressing journalists while on a trip to India, asserted that there is no reason the bill cannot be brought back immediately, blaming technical timing for the shortfall of votes.

He also responded to PSL president Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz’s claim that the premier and the finance minister missed the vote, explaining his prior commitment to the India visit and his participation in earlier votes. Kosiniak-Kamysz emphasized the significance of the prime minister’s supportive remarks, whether made in India or Vietnam, and called for a rapid reconsideration in the upcoming parliamentary session, noting that an identical bill is already pending in the Senate. The episode highlights ongoing political friction over local-government autonomy and term-limit reforms.