Ruling party demands post-election recounts of two Senate seats

Poland's ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party on Friday filed election protests with the Supreme Court in a bid to recount two Senate seats after the party failed to secure a majority in the upper house in October 13 elections, the court's press office informed PAP on Monday. In the southern Katowice electoral district, a PiS candidate lost by 2,349 votes to a contender from the Left, a coalition of three left-wing parties running under the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) party banner. In the northwestern Koszalin, PiS candidate was beaten by an MP from the biggest opposition party Civic Platform (PO) by 320 votes. PiS has claimed wrongful qualification of some votes as invalid. After reviewing the State Electoral Commission's (PKW's) election report and any election protests, the Supreme Court decides within 90 days after the election date whether an election was valid. In the October 13 elections to the Polish parliament, PiS lost its majority in the 100-seat Senate, winning 48 seats. The centrist Civic Coalition (KO), led by PO, secured 43 mandates,