In a rare clash between Poland’s two houses of parliament, in both of which the government has a majority, the Senate has rejected a candidate chosen by the Sejm to become the new head of the state Institute of National Remembrance (IPN). Szpytma’s candidacy has been opposed by most of Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s ruling coalition, who argue he helped politicise the IPN under the former PiS government. However, some more conservative elements of the coalition joined the opposition in supporting Szpytma, giving him a majority in the Sejm but not the Senate. The institute was led by Nawrocki from 2021 until August last year, when he became president of Poland. But he was rejected by the Sejm, which, along with the Senate, must approve the choice.