Changes to Poland's new voting law passed through the lower house of parliament on Friday, just a few months ahead of local government elections.

The changes do away with a compulsory video recording of the vote count – which could breach new privacy laws – and relax the criteria that need to be met in order to become an electoral official.

Both of those provisions had been introduced when the electoral law was reformed in January.

Łukasz Schreiber from the ruling conservative Law and Justice party said the latest changes aimed to satisfy the State Electoral Commission.

But Marek Sowa of the opposition Nowoczesna (Modern) party said the changes were unconstitutional.

He said: “Changes to the electoral law cannot be introduced less than six months from an election being called.”

He added that the changes should not be implemented, “which does not change the fact that the reform in January was a legislative dud”.

Tomasz Jaskuła of the opposition Kukiz'15 party said the changes passed on Friday proved that the reforms enacted in January had been introduced “messily and too quickly.”

Poles are set to head to the polls in autumn to elect mayors, local government councils and other officials. (vb/pk)

Source: PAP