PSL's Marek Sawicki named senior speaker of new parliament

According to the Sejm regulations, the president chooses the senior speaker of the Sejm from among the oldest MPs. In a televised address on Monday, president Andrzej Duda announced he has appointed Marek Sawicki of PSL for this honorary yet symbolic function. As a result, the 65-year-old Sawicki will open the inaugural sitting of the lower house on Monday, Nov. 13.

President Duda argued that Sawicki "is the longest-serving MP and has been representing his voters in the Sejm for 30 consecutive years" and that he (Sawicki) has proven himself as "a man of dialogue and cooperation". "That's why I'm convinced that on that special day he will proudly represent MPs of all groupings, and that the first session of the new Sejm will be conducted swiflty and in dignified atmosphere," the president added.

Marek Sawicki will, therefore, administer the oath of office to the MPs and conduct a vote over a new Speaker of the Sejm. In order to do it, he will choose three interim secretaries from among the youngest MPs. The youngest MP of the upcoming term is the 24-year-old Adam Gomoła of Poland 2050 (Third Way coalition). Aleksandra Wiśniewska of Civic Coalition and Łukasz Litewka of New Left are also among the youngest MPs.

Once the secretaries are appointed, all new MPs take the oath of office individually. Next, the senior speaker orders a vote over a new speaker of the lower house, who will become the second most important person of the state after the president. Candidates can be put forward by groups of no less than 15 MPs.

In the vote, each MP can support only one candidate. In order to be appointed speaker, a candidate needs to win the absolute majority of votes (more votes "in favor" than votes "against" and abstentions combined) with at least half of all MPs present (230).

A newly appointed Speaker of the Sejm takes over the chairmanship of the session and orders a vote on his of hers deputies.

Therefore, the senior speaker carries out his or hers duties only until the new Senate speaker is appointed. In the two previous terms, the role of the senior speaker was performed by Antoni Macierewicz and Kornel Morawiecki, in 2019 and 2015, respectively.

In the case of the Senate, the regulations of this chamber stipulate that the inaugural session is opened by the president, who then appoints the oldest senator as the senior speaker. If the president is unavailable, the first session is opened by the senior speaker.

In the upcoming term, the most likely senator to assume this role is Michał Seweryński of Law and Justice - born in 1939.

Once appointed, the senior speaker takes the oath of office - and just like it is done in the Sejm - he or she names three secretaries from among the youngest senators.

Finally, with the help of the chosen secretaries, the senior speaker administers the oath of office to the senators and conducts the selection of the Speaker of the Senate, who then takes over the chairmanship of the session.