The Senate (higher chamber of Polish Parliament) did not consent to the appointment of Bartłomiej Wróblewski, PiS MP, as the Ombudsman. 48 senators voted for his candidacy, 49 were against, and 2 abstained. This means that the new Ombudsman has not been elected for the fourth time.

The Sejm (lower chamber of Polish Parliament) elected Wróblewski as the Ombudsman on April 15. The two candidates: lawyer Sławomir Patyra and social activist Piotr Ikonowicz were not voted on. However, in order for Wróblewski to take over the office of the Ombudsman, his candidacy had to be approved by the Senate.

The election of the Ombudsman is necessary because Adam Bodnar's term of office expired in September last year. Pursuant to the Act on the Human Rights Defender, despite the end of his term of office, the Ombudsman continues to hold his office until the appointment of a successor by the parliament. On April 15, however, the Constitutional Tribunal ruled that the provision of the law that allowed it was unconstitutional. It will expire three months after the publication of the judgment.

Parliament has already tried to choose Bodnar's successor three times without success. Twice the only candidate was attorney Zuzanna Rudzińska-Bluszcz, who was a joint candidate of the KO, Left, and Poland 2050 of Szymon Hołownia, but she did not receive the support of the Sejm. The third time, the Sejm appointed the PiS candidate, deputy head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Piotr Wawrzyk, but the Senate did not consent to this candidacy.

The Ombudsman is appointed by the Sejm with the consent of the Senate at the request of the Marshal of the Sejm or a group of 35 deputies. If the Senate refuses to consent to the appointment of the Ombudsman (it takes one month to adopt a resolution expressing consent or objection), the Sejm will appoint another person for this position. 

(PAP)