Lower House Approves Court Law Needed To Unlock EU Funds, Sends It To Senate

The lower house of Polish parliament (Sejm) approved the court bill needed to unlock EU recovery funds by 203 votes in favour to 52 against with 189 abstentions, sending it to the upper house (Senate) for review.

• The legislation could be approved because most opposition lawmakers abstained, lowering the threshold of a simple majority. This allowed the ruling Law and Justice party to circumvent resistance from its junior coalition partner Solidarna Polska and the far-right Confederation party.
• The next step in the legislative process is a review by the Senate, which is controlled by the opposition. It is expected that the upper house will introduce some changes to the bill after the amendments tabled by opposition MPs were voted down in the lower house.
• If the draft bill is amended by the Senate, it is sent back to the Sejm for a final review. While the lower house can reject the Senate's amendments by a simple majority of votes, this time around the ruling party will be held to ransom by the prospect of the opposition voting against the bill.
• Should the court bill be approved by parliament, it would be submitted to the President for his signature. The head of state can sign the legislation, refer it to the Constitutional Court, or veto it. A presidential veto can be overridden by a 3/5 supermajority in the Sejm.