The OSCE’s International Election Observation Mission (IEOM) has raised serious concerns about the impartiality of Poland’s National Electoral Commission (PKW) and the recent controversial changes in public media management. In its initial findings following the first round of the presidential election, the mission pointed to specific decisions that it says undermined public trust.
“While most interlocutors of the IEOM expressed confidence in the electoral administration’s ability to manage the technical aspects of the elections, they raised concerns about the collegiality and impartiality of the PKW’s decision-making—particularly regarding recent rulings on reducing public funding for the Law and Justice party (PiS). This has undermined public confidence in the commission’s work,” reads a key excerpt from the OSCE report, as cited today by the PKW chairman, Sylwester Marciniak.
Speaking at a press conference, Marciniak referred to the OSCE’s preliminary statement after the first round of voting, noting that the mission had acknowledged the administration’s effective logistical handling of the elections, stating that “on May 18, the electoral administration at all levels successfully conducted the election and met all statutory deadlines.” However, he added that the mission criticized the impartiality of recent decisions—most notably those regarding the reduction of state subsidies.
Public Funding Cuts and NeoTVP
The OSCE’s report also took aim at broader election fairness concerns, including the takeover of public media by the new authorities. Former PKW member Dariusz Lasocki highlighted several key excerpts from the mission’s findings on social media.
“Although the state does not directly fund presidential campaigns, state subsidies granted to political parties are a primary source of campaign financing. The reduction of public funding for the two main political parties, as well as delays in payments to others, affected the financial capabilities of candidates supported by those parties,” the mission observed.
In an unusually direct assessment, OSCE observers also questioned the forceful takeover of Poland’s public broadcasters, referring to the “change in leadership” as “a process that deviated from the legally required procedures.”
Lasocki echoed Marciniak’s concerns by quoting again from the OSCE report:
“While most interlocutors of the IEOM expressed confidence in the electoral administration’s ability to manage the technical aspects of the elections, they raised concerns about the collegiality and impartiality of the PKW’s decision-making—particularly in regard to the recent decisions on reducing public funding for PiS. This has undermined public confidence in the commission’s work.”
The OSCE’s findings are likely to intensify the political debate ahead of the second round of the presidential elections, highlighting concerns not only about campaign financing but also about the integrity of Poland’s democratic institutions.