Poland’s President Signs into Law New Political Commission to Investigate Russian Influence

Polish President Andrzej Duda arrives at the Opening Session of the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe at the Harpa Conference Center in Reykjavik, Iceland, 16 May 2023. EPA-EFE/Leszek Szymanski

The law has been heavily criticised by the liberal opposition and legal experts for seemingly creating a commission controlled by the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party that will be able to exclude from political life those individuals found to have been influenced by Russian interests. Since PiS came to power in 2015, it has passed several laws that have had the effect of silencing critics, including in the media and judicial sectors.

Under the law, the commission will "investigate Russian influence on the internal security of the Republic of Poland in the years 2007-2022". Those politicians found to have "acted to the detriment of the Republic under Russian influence" can be banned from holding public office and denied security clearance for a period of up to ten years.

Civic Platform (PO), the main rival of PiS in the upcoming autumn election, was in power between 2007 and 2015. Donald Tusk, the former PO prime minister and leader of the opposition, is thought to be a main target of the new law and the opposition has even dubbed it #LexTusk. PiS has repeatedly accused Tusk of acting in Russia's interests in the past.

With Poland preparing for a general election in the autumn, "PiS now has a tool to clean up the electoral lists of the opposition or to clean up a potential government of the opposition in case they win," said Ewa Siedlecka, a journalist specialising in legal issues from the weekly Polityka.

"The commission could also be used to bring to light 'hooks' that PiS has been collecting on opposition...