The Warsaw mayor gained his occasion’s primaries and can run to be the Polish president because the candidate of Donald Tusk’s Civic Coalition (KO, EPP) alliance.
Within the primaries held on Friday (22 November), Rafał Trzaskowski beat overseas minister Radosław Sikorski, by wining 75% of the votes.
“I do know that the winner will go to the elections with full dedication,” Prime Minister and KO chief Donald Tusk mentioned, asserting the result.
Praised by his supporters for his expertise and data of overseas languages, Trzaskowski served as minister of digital affairs within the earlier Tusk authorities between 2013 and 2014. He then turned mayor of Warsaw in 2018 and was re-elected to the put up in 2023.
Trzaskowski thanked his voters and identified that KO had determined to carry primaries “as a really democratic occasion,” in contrast to the principle opposition PiS (ECR), the place occasion chief Jarosław Kaczyński has the ultimate say.
“In PiS, only one voice counts. Right here, each vote counts,” he mentioned.
Sikorski thanked his rival for a “chivalrous competitors” and praised his concept of organising primaries. He additionally known as on those that voted for him to assist Trzaskowski “unconditionally” within the elections.
“Rafał, combat, combat, combat and win!” he advised Trzaskowski.
Trzaskowski is the clear favorite within the elections. In response to the most recent polls, he’s prone to win irrespective of who the PiS nominates as its candidate.
PiS to call its candidate on Sunday
Incumbent Polish President Andrzej Duda is ending his second time period as president, the structure stops him from operating for one more time period.
Consequently, the PiS is on the lookout for a brand new candidate, which it’ll announce as early as Sunday (24 November), in line with occasion sources.
The identical sources counsel Karol Nawrocki, former head of the Institute of Nationwide Remembrance, would be the most definitely contender. Different names that may very well be within the operating embody controversial former training minister, Przemysław Czarnek, MEP Tobiasz Bocheński, and former prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
Mateusz Morawiecki is the least seemingly candidate for the PiS presidential nomination, as his tenure as prime minister might weigh towards him.
He has additionally expressed curiosity within the ECR management, at present held by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (FdI, ECR).
After the occasion misplaced energy in Poland, due to the 2023 parliamentary election, from PiS’s perspective, preserving the presidency is essential, as it could enable the occasion to take care of affect over the federal government and veto laws.
For a similar purpose, it’s important for Tusk’s ruling coalition to win since it could now not should take care of presidents who veto legal guidelines and hamper the implementation of his occasion’s insurance policies. These embody restoring judicial independence, which is vital for Poland to obtain additional EU restoration funds.
Whereas the ruling coalition initially thought of nominating a single candidate for president, on the finish of the day, every occasion determined to run a separate candidate.
Final week, parliamentary speaker and head of the Poland 2050 occasion (Renew), Szymon Hołownia, introduced his bid. The Left (S&D) goes to call their candidate quickly.
The opposition Confederation (PfE/ESN) occasion nominated its co-leader, Sławomir Mentzen.
The date of the elections has not been scheduled but, however they are going to be held round spring of 2025.
[Edited by Rajnish Singh]