Chapter 2
DEBATES OF THE SEJM
Article 178
The Marshal or Vice-Marshal as his substitute, shall preside over debates of the Sejm with the assistance of two Secretaries of the Sejm.
Article 179
1. The Marshal of the Sejm shall give the floor to speakers in matters relating to matters included in the orders of the day for a sitting.
2. Deputies wishing to participate in the discussion on a particular item in the orders of the day shall enter their names on a list of speakers kept by a Secretary of the Sejm.
3. The Marshal of the Sejm shall give the floor to Deputies according to the sequence of their registration. Upon hearing an opinion of the Council of Seniors, the Presidium of the Sejm may determine a different sequence of speakers.
Article 180
1. No speech of a Deputy may last longer than 10 minutes, excepting speeches on behalf of a club, which may not exceed 20 minutes. The Marshal of the Sejm, with agreement of the Council of Seniors, may set another time limit for speeches and present it to the Sejm for approval.
2. No Deputy may speak more than twice in a debate on the same matter. A Deputy speaking for the second time on the same matter may not speak longer than 5 minutes.
3. The Marshal shall decide on an extension of the time limit for a speech and on giving once again the floor to a Deputy.
Article 181
1. The Presidium of the Sejm, upon hearing an opinion of the Council of Seniors, may present to the Sejm a proposal to keep the debate within the time limits available to Deputies’ clubs and groups.
2. In the event that the Sejm has decided to conduct the discussion in the manner specified in para. 1:
1) a Deputy who has not participated in the discussion, shall have the right to deliver, in the course of the discussion, to a Secretary of the Sejm who keeps the list of speakers, the text of a speech, signed by himself, on a given item in the orders of the day. Motions and amendments contained in such speech shall be treated as if heard in the discussion;
2) raising a point of order, as referred to in Article 184, para. 3, subpara. 1 in respect of the ending of a sitting, subpara. 3, subpara. 4 - in respect of the ending of a discussion, subparas. 7, 8 and 10 - shall be inadmissible.
3. The debate, referred to in para. 1 may be conducted in the form of statements made on behalf of clubs and groups. In such case, the club or group shall decide whether one Deputy or more Deputies will speak on its behalf within the time limit available to that club or group.
4. The time limit for all speeches of an independent Deputy during one sitting of the Sejm shall be no longer than 6 minutes.
Article 182
The Marshal of the Sejm may allow the posing of questions in the course of consideration of a particular item in the orders of the day. This provision shall not apply to other questions prescribed by the Standing Orders of the Sejm.Article 183
The Marshal of the Sejm may set a lime limit for posing questions by a Deputy, which shall equally bind all Deputies.Article 184
1. Subject to para. 7, the Marshal of the Sejm shall give the floor regardless of the orders of the day for the sitting or in respect of a debate exclusively for raising a point of order, or for rectification of a statement that has been misunderstood or imprecisely quoted.
2. Points of order may be raised only in respect of matters being the subject of the orders of the day or the proceedings in a sitting.
3. Points of order shall include motions to:
1) suspend, postpone or close the sitting;
2) resolve upon an in camera sitting;
3) close the list of speakers;
4) close the debate;
5) proceed according to the orders of the day;
6) refer to a committee;
7) vote without debate;
8) alter the procedure of the discussing;
9) alter the procedure of voting;
10) limit the time of speeches;
11) confirm a quorum;
12) count votes cast.
4. The Sejm shall decide on a point of order, referred to in para. 3, subparas. 3, 4 and 10-12, by a majority vote of Deputies present.
5. The Sejm shall decide on a point of order upon hearing of the mover of the motion and, if necessary, of one opponent thereof.
6. A motion, referred to in para. 3, subpara. 1, concerning the closure of a sitting and a motion referred to in para. 3, subpara. 4, concerning the close of a discussion, may not be moved in the course of a debate on a constitutional bill or on bills to amend constitutional provisions, or in relation to the draft Budget and other financial plans of the State.
7. The Marshal of the Sejm shall give the floor, regardless of the orders of the day, for moving a motion to postpone the debate. The Marshal of the Sejm may put to a vote a motion mentioned in the first sentence. The provisions of para. 4 shall apply as appropriate.
8. No speech delivered regardless of the orders of the day may last longer than 2 minutes.
Article 185
1. The Marshal of the Sejm may give the floor, regardless of the orders of the day, for the making of a Deputy's Statement. Any matter, whose substance is an interpellation or Deputy's question, may not be the subject of a Deputy's Statement. A Deputy's Statement may be made only at the end of each day of the debate.
2. No Deputy's Statement may last longer than 5 minutes.
3. A Deputy's Statement shall not be subject to discussion.
Article 186
1. The Marshal of the Sejm shall give the floor, regardless the order of the day, to the President, at his request, for delivery of a Message. The Message shall not be subject to discussion.
2. The Marshal Sejm shall give the floor, regardless of the list of speakers, to members of the Council of Ministers, to the President of the Supreme Chamber of Control, to the Head of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland and a Secretary of State within the Chancellery of the President substituting the Head of the Chancellery of the President at a given sitting, at any time they wish to speak.
3. The Marshal of the Sejm shall give floor, regardless the list of speakers, to the First President of the Supreme Court - the Chaiperson of the Tribunal of State, to the President of the Constitutional Tribunal, to the Commissioner for Citizens' Rights, to the President of the Supreme Administrative Court, to the Chairperson of the National Electoral Commission, to the Chairperson of the National Council of the Judiciary, to the President of the National Council of Radio Broadcasting and Television, to the Inspector General for the Protection of Personal Data and to the President of the National Bank of Poland, in relation to matters falling within the scope of their statutory activity.
Article 187
Subject to Article 186, upon completion of speeches from the list of speakers only a sponsor, a representative of the Legislative Committee, referred to in Article 85, and a Rapporteur may speak and, afterwards, the Marshal of the Sejm shall close the discussion.