The National Electoral Commission issued a position on Monday according to which the Speaker of the Sejm may order presidential elections on January 15 at the earliest. This is related to the state of natural disaster introduced in September, said Magdalena Pietrzak, secretary of the National Electoral Commission. Initially, Szymon HoĊownia announced the start of the election campaign on January 8.
Marshal of the Sejm Szymon HoĊownia announced that he plans to order presidential elections on January 8, 2025, i.e. announce their date and the entire electoral calendar, and the election campaign will start when his decision is published.
However, the constitution states that elections cannot be held within 90 days after the end of the state of emergency. The state of natural disaster introduced by the government in connection with the September flood was lifted on October 16, 2024, the 90-day period expires on January 14, 2025, and questions arose as to whether it is possible to set the election date as January 8.
READ MORE: HoĊownia plans to start the election campaign on January 8. There is a problem
National Electoral Commission: announcement of the election date on January 15 at the earliest
In connection with the doubts raised Marshal of the Sejm Szymon HoĊownia submitted an inquiry to the National Electoral Commission on this matter.
As the secretary informed PAP NEC and the head of the National Electoral Office, Magdalena Pietrzak, on Monday the Commission adopted a position that due to the end of October 16 this year. state of natural disaster, the Speaker of the Sejm may order presidential elections only after January 14, 2025.
The same position – referring to Art. 228 section 7 of the Constitution – the National Electoral Commission has already expressed its opinion on the elections of local government units held during the term of office in the area where a state of natural disaster has been introduced. At that time, the National Electoral Commission informed that “the lifting of the state of natural disaster on October 16 this year means that until January 14, 2025, no further elections can be ordered in the area where the state of natural disaster was in force, nor elections that should take place and have not been ordered due to the state of natural disaster in force.
Main photo source: TVN24