29. What are the eligibility criteria for political parties to receive public funding?

1. A political party which:
1) in  an  election  to  the  Sejm,  having  independently  formed  an  electoral  committee, received  nationwide  at  least  3%  of  validly  cast  votes  on  its  district  lists  of  candidates for deputies, or
2) in  an  election  to  the  Sejm  was  a  member  of  a  coalition,  whose  district  lists  of candidates for deputies received nationwide at least 6% of validly cast votes,
shall be entitled to receive for the duration of the term of office of the Sejm, in the manner and in accordance with the rules set out in this Act, a subsidy from the state budget for its activities envisaged by its constitution, hereinafter referred to as the “subsidy”
Source: Article 28.1, Law on Political Parties,1997 (consolidated text 2018)

§ 1 The political party, whose election committee participated in the elections, the political party comprising an election coalition committee, and the election committee of voters participating in elections to the Sejm and the Senate is entitled to a grant from the state budget, hereinafter referred to as an “entity subsidy”, for each mandate for deputy and senator obtained. Expenses incurred as a result of the entity subsidy shall be covered by the state budget from the section on Budget for public finance and financial institutions.
Source: Article 150 § 1, Election Code, 2011 (amended 2019)

§ 1 The political party whose election committee participated in the elections, the political party that is part of the election coalition, and the election committee of voters participating in European Parliament elections are entitled to a subsidy hereinafter referred to as the “entity subsidy” from the state budget, for each mandate for each MEP, obtained. Expenses related to the entity subsidy shall be covered by the state budget in the section on Budget for public finances and financial institutions.
Source: Article 151 § 1, Election Code, 2011 (amended 2019)

Political parties that received more than 3% of the votes cast in the previous Sejm elections (6% for the coalition), have the right to an annual public funding. In addition, each political party/coalition/voters’ electoral committee that obtains at least one seat in Polish or European Parliament is eligible for a one-time state subsidy.