Who will Count the Votes in Poland?

The author analyses and comments critically on changes to Poland's electoral procedures introduced in new legislation adopted by the Polish parliament in December 2017.

The author claimed that the changes, when implemented 'gives the ruling party Law and Justice (PiS) necessary mechanisms to 'control' the election outcomes. To put it bluntly – a change of the electoral system which will make it possible for PiS to commit electoral fraud allowing it to stay in power, regardless of the voters’ preferences'.

Opposition parties claimed that PiS was seeking to boost its performance at the ballot box, but Law and Justice claimed that it aimed to make voting more transparent and provide stronger guarantees that elections were fair.

• Prif ffynhonnell

Blog: Verfassungsblog, 16.11.17: A Constitution of Fear http://www.europeansources.info/record/a-constitution-of-fear/

Blog: Verfassungsblog, 18.12.17: Next Stop on the Way to Constitutional Disarray in Poland: Electoral Law Reform http://verfassungsblog.de/next-stop-on-the-way-to-constitutional-disarray-in-poland-electoral-law-reform/

Radio Poland, 15.12.17: Polish MPs vote through contested changes to electoral law http://thenews.pl/1/9/Artykul/339947,Polish-MPs-vote-through-contested-changes-to-electoral-law

The Washington Post, 11.01.18: Democratic elections in Poland face a new threat https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2018/01/11/free-elections-in-poland-face-new-threats-from-a-new-electoral-reform-bill/

EurActiv, 17.01.18: Polish Supreme Court slams ‘unconstitutional’ PiS reforms https://www.euractiv.com/section/justice-home-affairs/news/polish-supreme-court-slams-unconstitutional-pis-reforms/

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