Latest news with #PO
Spectator
2 days ago
- Politics
- Spectator
The Polish right is radicalising
In some ways, Poland's presidential election on Sunday seems a simple continuation of the country's long-standing status quo. Karol Nawrocki, Poland's 'populist' new president, is expected to extend the existing gridlock between the president's office and the cabinet, controlled respectively by Law and Justice (PiS) and Donald Tusk's Civic Platform (PO). The close result in the run-off, moreover, appears to be in line with the deep polarisation of Polish public opinion between two camps that increasingly see each other as enemies, not just as political opponents. Yet, this short-term continuity should not blind us to signs of looming change. Poland's right is radicalising and blurring its traditionally sharp foreign policy thinking. The reasons are twofold. First, as one observer of Polish politics correctly observed in the wake of the of first round of the election, held on May 18, the real news of the election is not the vitality of 'populism' but rather the fact that the decades-long duopoly of PO and PiS is cracking.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ukraine watches closely as Poland faces polarizing presidential run-off
Poland's presidential race has never seen a first-round winner with so many reasons to worry, the far right so emboldened, and Ukraine so central to the campaign. The June 1 run-off between Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski of the ruling Civic Platform (PO) and Karol Nawrocki, backed by Law and Justice (PiS), will likely reshape not only Poland's domestic political balance but also its approach to Ukraine. And the clash will be tight: in a first-round that saw a record 67.3% turnout, Trzaskowski secured 31.4% of the vote and Nawrocki 29.5%. Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Poland emerged as one of Kyiv's staunchest allies – sending weapons, sheltering millions of refugees, and rallying Western support. But over time, political tensions, economic fatigue, and disputes over grain imports and historical memory have strained the relationship. "These elections are crucial to Ukraine because they will either end the electoral cycle in Poland or open a new one,' Ukrainian political analyst Yevhen Mahda told the Kyiv Independent. 'And amid global turmoil, we need a stable, friendly Poland." The first-round results have been described as a "yellow card" for the ruling coalition that has governed Poland since 2023 under Prime Minister Donald Tusk. If outgoing President Andrzej Duda is succeeded by Nawrocki, whom he endorsed, Civic Platform will face regular obstruction through presidential vetoes. Although the Polish president holds limited executive power, he plays a key role in foreign affairs and serves as commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Polish presidents have historically been particularly active in shaping eastern policy. "The past three years have shown that it is politicians who set the temperature of relations between our nations," said Zbigniew Parafianowicz, a journalist and author of "Poland at War," which examines Polish-Ukrainian policy at the outset of Russia's invasion. "Neither candidate will work wonders for Ukraine, but Kyiv has good reason to pay close attention." Traditionally divided between the pro-European liberal PO and the conservative nationalist PiS, Poland's political scene has long been vulnerable to populist and anti-establishment forces. This time, it was the far right that surged to unprecedented strength and could now determine the outcome. Slawomir Mentzen, of the economically libertarian and socially conservative Confederation Party, came third with 14.8% of the vote. Although left-wing candidates Adrian Zandberg, Magdalena Biejat, and Joanna Senyszyn received a combined 10.2%, Mentzen is now widely seen as the election's kingmaker. In a bid to win over Mentzen's electorate, both candidates agreed to be interviewed on his YouTube channel, and Nawrocki signed a list of demands he put forward. Hoping to capture some of those votes, Trzaskowski made a surprise visit to his pub, where they shared a beer. "Pro-Russian narratives don't sell here, but anti-Ukrainian (ones) do." Trzaskowski — a pro-European polyglot, son of a jazz musician, and senior figure in the Polish liberal establishment — faces a delicate balancing act: maintaining support from the center-left while reaching out to mostly young radical voters drawn to the Confederation. He has twice won the mayoral election in Warsaw but lost the presidential race in 2020 to Duda by just 2%, or 422,000 votes. Mentzen has repeatedly criticized Poland's support for Ukraine, opposing military aid and refugee assistance while promoting a nationalist narrative that frames Ukrainians as economic and cultural threats. He conditioned his sympathies in the second round on a promise not to send Polish troops to Ukraine and to oppose Ukraine's NATO membership. "There's a rise in anti-Ukrainian sentiment — not just on the far right, but also in the mainstream electorate," said political analyst and president of the Batory Foundation Edwin Bendyk. "It's driven by societal fatigue with the war next door, housing competition in big cities, and communication failures on both sides. Pro-Russian narratives don't sell here, but anti-Ukrainian (ones) do." It remains so despite positive developments such as the resumption of the long-stalled exhumation process of victims of the Volyn Massacre in the Ukrainian village of Puznyky, marking a symbolic step forward in addressing painful chapters of shared history, or Poland's continued support of Kyiv's defense needs and arms transit. Another far-right fringe politician, Grzegorz Braun who campaigned against what he called the "Ukrainization" of Poland, came fourth with 6.3% of the vote. The man who had earlier caused an international scandal by putting out Hanukkah candles with a fire extinguisher in the Polish Parliament, tore down a Ukrainian flag from the town hall in Bielsko-Biala during the campaign. Nawrocki, previously a little-known director of the Institute of National Remembrance, openly embraced much of the far right's platform during the campaign. He pledged to lower taxes, reject what he called the EU's "sick" climate policies, and end what he described as Ukraine's "indecent" treatment of Poland. He is officially not a member of PiS and positions himself as an independent candidate, not responsible for the policies of the party led by Jaroslaw Kaczynski. "Nawrocki is no Duda," said Bendyk. "He's a nationalist, not a conservative. His victory would likely slow Ukraine's integration with the West." Parafianowicz, in turn, called Nawrocki — who briefly met with Donald Trump during a U.S. visit — a "Trumpian politician" who will likely try to align with the former president's agenda. In a move unprecedented for the U.S., Trump sent his Director of Homeland Security Kristi Noem to support Nawrocki in the final days of the race. "If the most pro-Ukrainian candidate calls Ukraine a 'buffer zone,' that's a clear sign something has gone wrong." There have been ups and downs in Polish-Ukrainian relations since the start of the full-scale invasion – from the emotional embraces between Duda and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to mutual accusations and perceived insults. While the PiS-PO rivalry dominates Poland's brutal election campaign, it has no obvious impact on Ukraine policy — but that doesn't mean Kyiv isn't watching closely. "If the most pro-Ukrainian candidate calls Ukraine a 'buffer zone,' that's a clear sign something has gone wrong," Ukrainian historian and publicist Wasyl Rasevych told the Kyiv Independent, referring to a term Trzaskowski used repeatedly during the campaign. "Russian propaganda undermines EU unity and spreads instability in countries aiding Ukraine, and Poland may unwittingly be playing into that scenario," he added. Ahead of the vote, Polish authorities uncovered a foreign-funded disinformation campaign on Facebook and cyberattacks targeting government parties. Officials suspect Russia, which is also blamed for a 2024 arson attack on Warsaw's Marywilska shopping center, viewing it as part of a wider hybrid warfare strategy to destabilize Ukraine's allies. While Russian meddling is real, some argue its impact is overstated. "We've inflated the idea of 'Russian influence' so much," said Parafianowicz, "that we've lost sight of proportion." The true sources of discontent, he argues, lie in domestic politics on both sides of the border. According to Parafianowicz, Polish political elites' disappointment with Zelensky is "an open secret." He cites the Ukrainian president's refusal to acknowledge that the missile that killed two Poles in Przewodow was Ukrainian and his remarks about Poland at the UN in 2023, as examples of what he sees as a growing disregard for Warsaw's leadership. "Ukraine would welcome a winner who truly pursues deeper cooperation with the EU and Germany." Despite these frictions, Poland and Ukraine remain strategic allies. Both Trzaskowski and Nawrocki have pledged to increase defense spending, strengthen the Polish military, maintain a hardline stance on the Belarusian border, and continue supporting Ukraine militarily. But the key difference lies in their vision of international alliances — and their willingness to sideline Ukraine's interests. "The Polish right is afraid of Ukrainian economic competition and Kyiv's political alignment with Berlin," said Rasevych. "Ukraine would welcome a winner who truly pursues deeper cooperation with the EU and Germany." Trzaskowski appears to offer that option and promises to gain more leverage in the EU, together with heavyweight politicians such as Tusk or Polish hawkish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski. But with traditional alliances shaken by unpredictable Trump, no one can foresee which cards will turn out lucky. "The idea that Poles and Ukrainians truly understand each other is a dangerous myth," Mahda said. "Ukraine needs both a Plan A and a Plan B — prepared for either Trzaskowski or Nawrocki, while staying focused on real issues in defense, energy, and the economy." Read also: 'A serious crisis' — pro-Russian leader in Bosnia threatening peace in the Balkans We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
DW
6 days ago
- Politics
- DW
Poland's presidential election sees candidates neck and neck – DW – 05/28/2025
With only days to go until the runoff in Poland's presidential election, candidates Rafal Trzaskowski and Karol Nawrocki are vying for the support of undecided voters. Just four days out from the decisive second round of Poland's presidential election, it is still all to play for: Candidates Rafal Trzaskowski and Karol Nawrocki are neck and neck. The most recent opinion poll published by IBRIS on Monday put liberal-conservative, pro-European candidate Rafal Trzaskowski at 45.7% and his national-conservative, Euroskeptic rival, Karol Nawrocki, at 44.9%, with 7.8% still undecided. A different institute put both candidates at 47% on Friday, May 23. This means that the two rival camps in this election — the center-left ruling coalition headed by Prime Minister Donald Tusk of the Civic Platform (PO) party and the national-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party led by Jaroslaw Kaczynski — are now fighting tooth and nail for every undecided voter. Poles rally ahead of presidential runoff To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video In the first round of the presidential election on May 18, Trzaskowski got 31.36% of the vote ahead of Nawrocki's 29.54% — a much tighter margin than anticipated. Trzaskowski's 'March of Patriots' In an attempt to win over new voters, Trzaskowski, who has been mayor of the capitalWarsaw since 2018, invited Poles to take part in the "March of Patriots" in the capital on Sunday. The leaders of all parties in Tusk's ruling coalition gave him their backing at the huge rally. "Rafal, win this election for us and change Poland," said Szymon Holownia, speaker of the Polish parliament and member of the Christian Democratic Poland 2050 party. "We are choosing between a brown and a colorful Poland," said Magdalena Biejat of the New Left party and called on Poles to vote for Trzaskowski. Both Holownia and Biejat were knocked out in the first round of the presidential election. The gloves are off The prime minister himself demonstrated that the tone in this election campaign has become rougher. In a reference to Nawrocki's past, Tusk warned that "common gangsters" were reaching for power. Nawrocki, a former boxer who once earned a living as a bouncer, had contacts in the underworld and the ultras scene. It was recently reported that he once took part in an arranged mass brawl between militant fans of two rival soccer clubs. Candidate Trzaskowski also cautioned against putting Poland in the hands of a "muscle man." Support from Romania's president-elect Guest of honor at Sunday's "March of Patriots" was Romania's President-elect Nicusor Dan. Romanian President-elect Nicusor Dan (pictured here in Bucharest after polls closed on May 18) was in Warsaw at the weekend to support Rafal Trzaskowski Image: Andreea Alexandru/AP Photo/picture alliance "A week ago, Romania was the winner; in a week's time, Poland will be the winner," he said in Polish to loud applause. Dan offered Trzaskowski close cooperation between the two countries inside the EU. At the end of the rally, Trzaskowski pledged that he would "drive" the government to swift reforms. He also said that Poland now needs a "new moonshot," adding that it was his intention that Poland would overtake the strongest countries in Europe. After the parliamentary election in October 2023, many voters turned away from the pro-European government led by Donald Tusk because he was unable to implement most of his election promises. The outgoing national-conservative president, Andrzej Duda, has blocked corresponding laws. According to Warsaw's city authorities, about 140,000 people took part in the Trzaskowski rally. His team put the figure at half a million. Nawrocki promises a 'Great Poland' Nawrocki's "March for Poland," which was intended to be a rival event to Trzaskowski's rally, took place at the same time and just a few hundred meters away. The motto of the march, which saw Nawrocki, Kaczynski and other PiS politicians marching through the streets of the capital, was "Poland first." Karol Nawrocki, pictured here at a rally in Warsaw on Sunday, has the backing of the national-conservative PiS party Image: Wojtek Radwanski/AFP/Getty Images Karol Nawrocki is a historian who has been head of Poland's Institute of National Remembrance since July 2021. "A great, strong Poland is coming," he told the crowd that had gathered outside Warsaw's Royal Castle. The national-conservative candidate for the presidency invoked the "national community" he says is characterized by a "Christian identity" and promised a "secure Poland" without irregular immigrants. "I am one of you; someone just like you; I am your voice," he said. About 50,000 Nawrocki supporters took part in the march. Ultra-right disrupter seizes his opportunity While Trzaskowski and Nawrocki battle it out for the presidency, ultra-right politician Slawomir Mentzen is enjoying his role as kingmaker. Mentzen was eliminated from the race in the first round after coming third with almost 15% of votes. Just under three million voters, most of whom were young people, voted for the libertarian disrupter. Now Mentzen is trying to make political capital out of his unexpected success and give his Confederation Liberty and Independence party a head start for the 2027 parliamentary election. Mentzen invited both Trzaskowski and Nawrocki to join him on his YouTube channel for separate discussions based on an "eight-point plan" he had drawn up. The plan included pledges not to raise taxes, not to introduce the euro in Poland, not to transfer any new powers to the EU or not to allow Ukraine to join NATO. Different responses to Mentzen's plan Keen to court Mentzen's favor, Nawrocki signed the plan. Trzaskowski, on the other hand, refused to sign it after his debate with Mentzen on Saturday during which he put forward good arguments and demonstrated his full command of the situation and the issues at hand. Hard-right politician Slawomir Mentzen came third in the first round of Poland's presidential election Image: Attila Husejnow/Zumapress/picture alliance Nevertheless, Trzaskowski hopes that his confident performance will win over at least some of those who backed Mentzen in the first round of the election. By Sunday, just under 4.5 million people had watched the discussion. The news that Trzaskowski, Mentzen and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski drank beer together in a pub after the debate caused confusion in right-wing circles. Some spoke of treachery. Another controversy Trzaskowski also did well in Friday's televised debate on public broadcaster TVP. Here, Nawrocki committed a faux pas: He was seen holding his hand in front of his face and putting something in his mouth. He initially claimed that the substance in question was chewing gum. However, his campaign team later said that it was a pouch of tobacco, a stimulant known as "snus." Political scientist Anna Materska-Sosnowska is certain that the events of the weekend will have a considerable impact on the outcome of the election runoff. "Those who already have a firm opinion, will not be swayed. But it is about those who have not yet made up their mind and those who stayed at home on May 18 [the first round of the presidential election]," she told the Polish News Agency PAP. "This test of strength ended in a tie. Both sides showed that they can mobilize many people," said political scientist Olgierd Annusewicz of the weekend rallies, adding that "the duel continues. It is not possible to say that one of the two is currently ahead." "The mayor of Warsaw can be satisfied with his final sprint in this election campaign," wrote the newspaper Rzeczpospolita. "Whether he will also be satisfied with the outcome of the runoff will be seen on Sunday." This article was originally written in German.
DW
7 days ago
- Politics
- DW
Polish presidential election: candidates neck and neck – DW – 05/28/2025
With only days to go until the runoff in Poland's presidential election, candidates Rafal Trzaskowski and Karol Nawrocki are vying for the support of undecided voters. Just four days out from the decisive second round of Poland's presidential election, it is still all to play for: Candidates Rafal Trzaskowski and Karol Nawrocki are neck and neck. The most recent opinion poll published by IBRIS on Monday put liberal-conservative, pro-European candidate Rafal Trzaskowski at 45.7% and his national-conservative, Euroskeptic rival, Karol Nawrocki, at 44.9%, with 7.8% still undecided. A different institute put both candidates at 47% last Friday. This means that the two rival camps in this election — the center-left ruling coalition headed by Prime Minister Donald Tusk of the Civic Platform (PO) party and the national-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party led by Jaroslaw Kaczynski — are now fighting tooth and nail for every undecided voter. Poles rally ahead of presidential runoff To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video In the first round of the presidential election on May 18, Trzaskowski got 31.36% of the vote ahead of Nawrocki's 29.54% — a much tighter margin than anticipated. Trzaskowski's 'March of Patriots' In an attempt to win over new voters, Trzaskowski, who has been mayor of Warsaw since 2018, invited Poles to take part in the "March of Patriots" in the capital on Sunday. The leaders of all parties in Tusk's ruling coalition gave him their backing at the huge rally. "Rafal, win this election for us and change Poland," said Szymon Holownia, speaker of the Polish parliament and member of the Christian Democratic Poland 2050 party. "We are choosing between a brown and a colorful Poland," said Magdalena Biejat of the New Left party and called on Poles to vote for Trzaskowski. Both Holownia and Biejat were knocked out in the first round of the presidential election. The gloves are off The prime minister himself demonstrated that the tone in this election campaign has become rougher. In a reference to Nawrocki's past, Tusk warned that "common gangsters" were reaching for power. Nawrocki, a former boxer who once earned a living as a bouncer, had contacts in the underworld and the ultras scene. It was recently reported that he once took part in an arranged mass brawl between militant fans of two rival soccer clubs. Candidate Trzaskowski also cautioned against putting Poland in the hands of a "muscle man." Support from Romania's president-elect Guest of honor at Sunday's "March of Patriots" was Romania's President-elect Nicusor Dan. Romanian President-elect Nicusor Dan (pictured here in Bucharest after polls closed on May 18) was in Warsaw at the weekend to support Rafal Trzaskowski Image: Andreea Alexandru/AP Photo/picture alliance "A week ago, Romania was the winner; in a week's time, Poland will be the winner," he said in Polish to loud applause. Dan offered Trzaskowski close cooperation between the two countries inside the EU. At the end of the rally, Trzaskowski pledged that he would "drive" the government to swift reforms. He also said that Poland now needs a "new moonshot," adding that it was his intention that Poland would overtake the strongest countries in Europe. After the parliamentary election in October 2023, many voters turned away from the pro-European government led by Donald Tusk because he was unable to implement most of his election promises. The outgoing national-conservative president, Andrzej Duda, has blocked corresponding laws. According to Warsaw's city authorities, about 140,000 people took part in the Trzaskowski rally. His team put the figure at half a million. Nawrocki promises a 'Great Poland' Nawrocki's "March for Poland," which was intended to be a rival event to Trzaskowski's rally, took place at the same time and just a few hundred meters away. The motto of the march, which saw Nawrocki, Kaczynski and other PiS politicians marching through the streets of the capital, was "Poland first." Karol Nawrocki, pictured here at a rally in Warsaw on Sunday, has the backing of the national-conservative PiS party Image: Wojtek Radwanski/AFP/Getty Images Karol Nawrocki is a historian who has been head of Poland's Institute of National Remembrance since July 2021. "A great, strong Poland is coming," he told the crowd that had gathered outside Warsaw's Royal Castle. The national-conservative candidate for the presidency invoked the "national community" he says is characterized by a "Christian identity" and promised a "secure Poland" without irregular immigrants. "I am one of you; someone just like you; I am your voice," he said. About 50,000 Nawrocki supporters took part in the march. Ultra-right disrupter seizes his opportunity While Trzaskowski and Nawrocki battle it out for the presidency, ultra-right politician Slawomir Mentzen is enjoying his role as kingmaker. Mentzen was eliminated from the race in the first round after coming third with almost 15% of votes. Just under three million voters, most of whom were young people, voted for the libertarian disrupter. Now Mentzen is trying to make political capital out of his unexpected success and give his Confederation Liberty and Independence party a head start for the 2027 parliamentary election. Mentzen invited both Trzaskowski and Nawrocki to join him on his YouTube channel for separate discussions based on an "eight-point plan" he had drawn up. The plan included pledges not to raise taxes, not to introduce the euro in Poland, not to transfer any new powers to the EU or not to allow Ukraine to join NATO. Different responses to Mentzen's plan Keen to court Mentzen's favor, Nawrocki signed the plan. Trzaskowski, on the other hand, refused to sign it after his debate with Mentzen on Saturday during which he put forward good arguments and demonstrated his full command of the situation and the issues at hand. Hard-right politician Slawomir Mentzen came third in the first round of Poland's presidential election Image: Attila Husejnow/Zumapress/picture alliance Nevertheless, Trzaskowski hopes that his confident performance will win over at least some of those who backed Mentzen in the first round of the election. By Sunday, just under 4.5 million people had watched the discussion. The news that Trzaskowski, Mentzen and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski drank beer together in a pub after the debate caused confusion in right-wing circles. Some spoke of treachery. Another controversy Trzaskowski also did well in Friday's televised debate on public broadcaster TVP. Here, Nawrocki committed a faux pas: He was seen holding his hand in front of his face and putting something in his mouth. He initially claimed that the substance in question was chewing gum. However, his campaign team later said that it was a pouch of tobacco, a stimulant known as "snus." Political scientist Anna Materska-Sosnowska is certain that the events of the weekend will have a considerable impact on the outcome of the election runoff. "Those who already have a firm opinion, will not be swayed. But it is about those who have not yet made up their mind and those who stayed at home on May 18 [the first round of the presidential election]," she told the Polish News Agency PAP. "This test of strength ended in a tie. Both sides showed that they can mobilize many people," said political scientist Olgierd Annusewicz of the weekend rallies, adding that "the duel continues. It is not possible to say that one of the two is currently ahead." "The mayor of Warsaw can be satisfied with his final sprint in this election campaign," wrote the newspaper Rzeczpospolita. "Whether he will also be satisfied with the outcome of the runoff will be seen on Sunday." This article was originally published in German.
Euronews
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Exit polls: Trzaskowski to win Polish presidential vote first round
Poland's Ruling Civic Platform (PO) coalition candidate Rafał Trzaskowski won the presidential election first round, according to preliminary exit polls on Sunday night. Trzaskowski has won 30.8% of the vote, while the second place went to PiS-backed candidate Karol Nawrocki, who won 29.1%, the poll prepared by Ipsos on behalf of TVP, TVN and Polsat showed. According to a separate poll by the Nationwide Research Group (NRG) for Telewizja Republika, Trzaskowski won 31.6% while Nawrocki won 29.8%. The two candidates will now face each other in the presidential vote runoff, which will take place on 1 June. Slawomir Mentzen has come in third, with 15.4% of the vote according to the Ipsos poll and 14% according to the NRG one. Thirteen candidates took part in the first round of the election: 11 men and two women. During a press conference at 6:30 pm, the State Election Commission reported that the turnout had reached 50.69% by 5 pm. By comparison, the turnout in the previous presidential election in 2020 in the first round was 64.5%. Just over 28 million people are eligible to vote in Poland. On Monday and Tuesday, the State Election Commission will report on turnout and results at press conferences. If the turnout is high, we will have to wait up to two days for the official election results. The chairman of the State Election Commission said he hoped to announce the election results late on Monday evening or at night. So far there have been three incidents during the Sunday vote. Two elderly people died at polling stations in Szczecin and Bielsko-Biała. "Of the incidents worth noting, it appears that today an aggressive man barged into a polling station in the Bielsko-Biała precinct and started a brawl with other people. As a result of the brawl, he bit one of the committee members on the left forearm," Sylwester Marciniak, head of the State Election Commission, informed the conference. The election campaign, which officially lasted from 15 January until Friday, was fraught with numerous contentious topics. The main axes of discussion between the candidates were security, migration, defence, the economy, the war in Ukraine, social issues, abortion, relations with the European Union and the United States. There were also presidential debates on public television and private media. The controversy of the campaign's last days was the case of Nawrocki's purchase of a flat. His counter-candidate's staff argued that it had taken place in violation of the law and decency: the owner of the flat had been placed in a nursing home and Nawrocki was said not to be interested in it, despite an earlier commitment to do so. "I would have done exactly the same thing," he said. "Regardless of whether I cared for Mr Jerzy or not, and I did care for him, I acquired this flat in a legal manner," Nawrocki added, commenting on the case. Trzaskowski, in turn, had to explain his election spots prepared by the NGO Akcja Demokracja, which is sympathetic to him. The PO candidate distanced himself from the matter, claiming that neither he nor his staff had ordered the ads. Other candidates dropped out of the presidential race, such as the pro-Russian Maciej Maciak, journalist Krzysztof Stanowski, who said he was running out of curiosity, or the far-right and anti-European Grzegorz Braun. The left went into the election divided, fielding two active politicians: deputy speaker of the Senate Magdalena Biejat and co-leader of the Together Party Adrian Zandberg, and former vice-president of the Democratic Left Alliance and MEP Joanna Senyszyn.
