Lower house rejects Senate veto to Russian influence commission

The Sejm, the lower house of the Polish parliament, has voted down a resolution by the Senate, the upper house, scrapping a government bill on the formation of a special commission to investigate Russian influences in Poland's previous governments.

According to Poland's opposition, the commission, which is to have the power to ban politicians from public office on the strength of their past contacts with Russia, could be used to bar opposition leaders from this autumn’s general election.

On Friday the Sejm overturned the Senate's rejection of the commission bill in a 234 to 219 vote with one abstention.

The bill, passed by the Sejm on April 4, will now be submitted to the president.

According to the bill, the commission will investigate alleged Russian influences from 2007-2022.