President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda has signed provisions on convening the first session of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland’s 10th term and the Senate of the Republic of Poland’s 11th term, reported the presidential office website on Tuesday. The President also signed orders appointing the Speakers of Sejm and Senate Seniors.

The President called the first session of the Sejm for 13 November 2023 at 12.00 p.m. and the first session of the Senate for 13 November 2023 at 16.00 p.m. Andrzej Duda also signed the orders appointing the Senior Speakers of the Sejm and the Senate. MP Marek Wacław Sawicki was appointed as Senior Speaker of the Polish Sejm and Senator Michał Seweryński was appointed as Senior Speaker of the Polish Senate.

In his address on Monday, the President said that after analysis and consultations, he had decided to entrust the mission of forming the government to Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. He added that he had appointed a person as senior Speaker to lead the first deliberations of the Sejm.

‘I have decided to entrust this important and prestigious function to Marek Sawicki of the Polish People’s Party, who was elected from the Third Way’s Electoral Committee’, said Andrzej Duda.

The President stressed that Sawicki has the longest parliamentary tenure. “He has represented his constituents in the Sejm continuously for 30 years. As an MP, but also as Minister of Agriculture, he has become known as a man of dialogue and cooperation, so I am convinced that he will represent MPs from all groupings with dignity on this special day, and the first Sejm sessions will proceed smoothly and in a solemn atmosphere”, added Andrzej Duda.

In the parliamentary elections held on 15 October, Law and Justice won 194 seats and did not achieve a majority in the Sejm. The opposition parties – the Civic Coalition, the Third Way (Poland 2050 and PSL) and the New Left – won a total of 248 seats and the Confederation won 18.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński