During a December 5 session of Poland’s Sejm, court workers protested a budget amendment by hanging a banner, igniting social‑media uproar and political commentary.
Incident in the Sejm. Banner in the Gallery
On December 5, workers from the court system entered the Sejm’s gallery and displayed a banner demanding the reversal of a budgetary amendment that would remove 95 million zlotys earmarked for their salaries.
Statement by MP Marcelina Zawisza
MP Marcelina Zawisza of the Together party tweeted the incident and attached a photo of the banner, describing the protest as a reaction to the proposed cut of court workers’ pay.
Party Spokesman Mateusz Merta Posts Footage
Mateusz Merta, spokesperson for the party, shared a video showing the workers entering the gallery and hanging the banner, criticizing the Tusk coalition’s “money‑driven” policies and accusing it of abandoning its union supporters.
Other Protestors Issue Statement
Urszula Łobodzińska posted on social media that she and fellow activist Edyta Odyjas had just been in the Sejm, condemning the 95 million zloty cut and the 3 percent wage indexation for 2026 as “shame.”
Budget Amendment for 2026
At the end of November, the Sejm’s public finance committee approved a supplemental amendment to the 2026 state budget that would reduce court workers’ salaries by 95 million zlotys.
Sejm Passes 2026 Budget
On the same day, 233 MPs voted for the budget and 197 against it, with 430 MPs participating and no abstentions. Tusk praised the bill as “good, stable, and secure.” The budget predicts about 650 billion zlotys in revenue, 920 billion in expenses, and a 272 billion zloty deficit for 2026; the bill will now go to the Senate and then to the President.
