Poland’s next parliament convenes for first session

President Andrzej Duda is expected to convene the first session of Poland’s new parliament today following a general election last month.

Poland’s Law and Justice (PiS), the dominant party of the country’s governing United Right coalition, won a plurality of the votes but not enough to form a governing coalition. Opposition parties collectively won the most votes and will have a chance to form a new government beginning today. The election saw a historic turnout of 74.4%, the most in over a century of Polish elections, with Poland’s strained relationship with the EU, economic downturn, and Russia’s war against Ukraine featuring as key issues.

Expect eight consecutive years of PiS rule to come to an end, with the opposition likely to muster a governing coalition. If it survives, however, will depend on whether the opposition can deliver on its ambitious promises, which include improving Poland’s fractured relationship with the EU, protecting the country from a Russian military invasion, reforming an illiberal judiciary, providing for Poland’s energy security and resuscitating a stagnating economy. If the opposition is not able to deliver in the short to medium term, expect PiS to quickly return to power.