Poland’s President Karol Nawrocki has vetoed three pieces of legislation, including a controversial reform of the country’s electoral code that he claims could open the door to ballot manipulation ahead of next year’s parliamentary elections, according to Polsat News.
The head of state announced on Thursday that he had refused to sign bills concerning changes to the electoral code, procedures for political advertising oversight, and the implementation of European Court of Human Rights rulings. At the same time, he signed eight other laws covering tax, energy and consumer protection.
In a statement published on platform X, Nawrocki defended his decision to use the presidential veto, describing it as “not a blockage” but rather “a constitutional tool to defend citizens against bad law”. He emphasised that he has a duty to consider state security, citizens’ rights and the consequences of adopted legislation.
Electoral changes ‘too close to elections’
The president’s most pointed criticism was reserved for the electoral code amendments, which parliament passed in September. Nawrocki argued that elections are the foundation of democracy and their rules must be clear, stable and inspire public confidence.
“You cannot change the rules of the game just one year before parliamentary elections,”
he said, warning that the proposed legislation could introduce chaos and create opportunities for abuse and electoral fraud.
“I say clearly: there will be no rigging of elections.”
The blocked reform would have restructured how the number of MPs elected in each constituency is determined. Under the vetoed bill, the State Electoral Commission (PKW) would have been required to announce by 30 November each year how many deputies would be elected in each voting district, based on data from the Central Electoral Register as of the end of the third quarter.
Nawrocki objected to what he described as a mechanism for shifting mandates between constituencies through an administrative announcement by PKW, which he said lacked proper impact analysis and raised serious questions about the division of seats, electoral oversight and the efficiency of handling election protests.
Changes to voting districts and commissions
The vetoed legislation also included provisions to reduce the maximum number of residents per polling district from 4,000 to 3,000, and to tighten the professional requirements for members of regional electoral commissions. Currently, commission members must have a legal education and provide assurances of proper performance, but the reform would have required them to be judges or practising lawyers, legal advisers or notaries.
Among the eight bills Nawrocki did sign were amendments to income tax law, excise duty on e-cigarettes, water law, energy law and renewable energy sources. Two of the signed laws—concerning biogas and biomethane, and excise duty on e-cigarettes—had previously been vetoed by the president and were resubmitted in amended form. Since the start of his term, Nawrocki has signed 290 bills in total.
What this means for Poles in the UK
Polish citizens living abroad, including in the United Kingdom, retain the right to vote in parliamentary elections in Poland. The veto means the current electoral rules remain in place for the 2027 parliamentary vote, with no changes to how constituencies are allocated or how polling districts are organised.
If you are registered to vote from the UK, you can cast your ballot at a Polish consulate or embassy. The electoral register is maintained by local authorities in Poland based on your last registered address, or by the Polish consul if you are permanently resident abroad. To vote from the UK, you must be on the electoral roll—check your status and update your details with your local Polish authority or the nearest consulate well ahead of the election.
The president’s veto can be overridden by a three-fifths majority in the Sejm, Poland’s lower house of parliament. If the government decides to push the legislation through, the political tussle could continue in the months ahead, though for now the existing electoral framework stands unchanged.
