(11 Jan 2017)
Poland's conservative ruling party appeared to prevail Wednesday in an ongoing standoff in parliament as the Senate approved a budget that centrist opponents said was passed illegally.
In an unprecedented political crisis, opposition lawmakers have occupied the plenary hall in the Sejm, the lower house of Poland's parliament, since Dec. 16.
The main point of contention was a budget vote which two centrist opposition parties said was held illegally. They had demanded a repeat vote.
But the ruling Law and Justice party held firm in refusing to have the budget reconsidered in the lower chamber.
The Senate - which is dominated by the ruling party - passed the budget on Wednesday without making any changes.
Opposition lawmakers denounced the Senate's move as a crowd of anti-government protesters gathered outside parliament and expressed anger at what they see as anti-democratic practices taking hold in Poland.
But ruling party chairman Jaroslaw accused the protesting lawmakers of being the ones to violate democratic norms with their blockade.
Kaczynski's opponents say his populist methods are increasingly authoritarian and they have argued the blockade of Parliament is necessary to defend democratic standards.
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