After a stormy debate, the Lower House of the Polish Parliament, the Sejm, has rejected a draft by the ruling Civic Platform, aiming to cut public financing of political parties.

204 deputies voted for the government draft bill and 221 against it. 

The aim of the draft was to suspend the financing of parties from the state budget for two years, due to economic crisis.  

A rival draft by the leftist Democratic Left Alliance (SLD), which provided for limiting the amount of money received by parties from the budget, was directed to a parliamentary special committee. 

The SLD proposed to limit the money for political parities by half – in the case of richer parties – or by eleven percent – in case of poorer political groups.

Before voting, PM Donald Tusk criticized the opposition Law and Justice party, the Polish Peasants Party  - which is a junior member of the ruling coalition - and the Democratic Left Alliance for “desperately trying to save their  possessions”.

“You will be ashamed of yourself if you reject our draft”, PM warned the opposition and accused PiS of hypocrisy. According to the Polish Prime Minister, PiS wants to reduce public expenses but at the same time takes millions zlotys from tax payers’ pockets. 

“The PM’s speech was offensive, insolent and dishonourable”, retorted Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the head of PiS. “Civic Platform will prey on students and pensioners. It plans to commit a large-scale fraud”, predicted J. Kaczynski.

Tusk was also criticised by other members of parliament. Janusz Piechocinski from PSL pointed out Tusk has no right to impose his views and he cannot accuse anyone of being immoral only because they decided to vote against his draft. (mg/pg)