Poland’s Senate (upper house) rejected the ruling party Law and Justice (PiS) candidate, Bartłomiej Wróblewski, for the post of ombudsman on Thursday.

Prolongation of Poland’s ombudsman’s term ruled unconstitutional

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There were 48 votes for, 49 against and 2 abstentions.

Parliament has already tried three times to agree upon a successor to the current ombudsman Adam Bodnar, whose term of office expired at the beginning of September last year. However, since there was no consensus on his successor, he remained in office.

Twice opposition candidate Zuzanna Rudzińska-Bluszcz failed to receive the backing of the Sejm (the lower house), while Law and Justice candidate, Deputy Foreign Minister Piotr Wawrzyk was rejected by the upper house dominated by the opposition.

On April 15, Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal ruled that Bodnar could no longer continue to hold his position because his five-year term had ended.