Opposition Parties Suspend Talks On Senate Election Pact

The Left's MEP Robert Biedron told WP.pl that talks between opposition parties on contesting the upcoming Senate elections as a single bloc collapsed after "one of the leaders said that polling results have changed."

• The "Senate Pact" helped the opposition to take control of the upper house in the 2019 election. It was effectively a non-aggression agreement, whereby participating parties would endorse a single joint candidate in each constituency. The Senate is elected by FPTP system using single-seat constituencies.
• Biedron revealed that opposition leaders have not met for "many weeks," adding that the Left calls on other parties to resume negotiations. His comments implied that the leader responsible for suspending talks was the main opposition Civic Platform's Donald Tusk, who demanded a renegotiation of the distribution of seats.
• The Civic Platform has been closing the gap with the ruling Law and Justice in recent polling, capitalising on its status as the main opposition force able to lead government, while the Left has found itself on the back foot, trailing both the centrist Third Way and far-right Confederation.
• Note that the Senate plays a relatively marginal role in Poland's political system, although it may rise in significance in certain circumstances. The Senate can amend or veto legislation (which can be overruled by a simple majority in the Sejm) and appoints several state officials, including three MPC members.