4 percent GDP for defense in the constitution. The Sejm begins work on the project of President Duda

On Wednesday in the Sejm, the first reading of the presidential project of changes in the constitution will take place. The amendment design applies to defense expenditure and provides for entering at least 4 percent in the constitution. GDP as a mandatory threshold of these expenses.

President Andrzej Duda directed this project to the Sejm at the beginning of March this year, after hearing the information in the Sejm of Prime Minister Donald Tusk about the international situation.

“The most important thing is that our security is constantly strengthened, and therefore, because we have a consensus today on the political scene, I think that it must be strengthened from the legal side – President Duda said then.

He emphasized that a minimum of 4 percent Defense GDP must be issued for “that if there were some democratic changes with us, which of course can always occur in democracy and a office came, for example, which will find that why spend so much defense, then that it again required a serious political consensus.” “As you know, 2/3 is needed in the Sejm to change the constitution and this is actually a serious political consensus then,” Duda pointed out.

“Safety requires this serious political consensus, he must be guaranteed, which is why I decided that such amendment to the constitution will be justified. I hope that it will be accepted on normal dates by the Sejm, without wildness, because it is really important and serious today for us,” the president noted.

He added that “he would like our parliament, taking this change in the Constitution hard, guarantee that the level of defense expenditure in Poland will not be lowered.”

The project provides for the transfer of applicable statutory regulations in the scope of the minimum level of financing for the defense needs of the Republic of Poland to an act with the highest legal force in the system of sources of law, which is the Constitution. In addition, it assumes an increase in the minimum level of these expenses to 4 percent. annual gross domestic product.

According to the draft, the amendment to expenses would be applied for the first time to the Budget Act for 2026.

The draft act amending the constitution may submit at least 1/5 of the statutory number of deputies, the Senate or President of the Republic of Poland. The constitution is amended by law adopted in the same wording by the Sejm and then within no more than 60 days by the Senate. The first reading of the draft act amending the Constitution may take place no earlier than the thirtieth day from the date of submission to the Sejm of the bill.

The Act on the amendment of the Constitution is adopted by the Sejm by a majority of at least 2/3 of votes in the presence of at least half of the statutory number of deputies and the Senate by an absolute majority of votes in the presence of at least half of the statutory number of senators. (PAP)

RBK/ MRR/ LM/