A carousel of names and constant casting – the president of PiS is constantly looking for a candidate for president who, as we remember, has to be young, tall, impressive, sophisticated and able to speak languages. He also has to be loyal, just like Mariusz Błaszczak. Błaszczak is loyal, but not perfect – Jacek Sasin counters. Candidates come and go, and the president calculates.
Jarosław Kaczynski recently mentioned Tobiasz Bocheński in unofficial talks as one of the favorites to be the PiS candidate in the presidential elections. – There are several people who are being considered at this moment, and this pool has already decreased significantly – says Tobiasz Bocheński, MEP from Law and Justice.
– This will all become clear soon – comments Law and Justice MP Mariusz Błaszczak.
Mariusz Błaszczak is another politician whom some PiS MPs have recently been eager to point out. – There are several great candidates, for example Mariusz Błaszczak – comments Andrzej Śliwka, MP from Law and Justice. – Mariusz Błaszczak is fine, he is a decent man – says Law and Justice MP Wojciech Szarama. – Mariusz Błaszczak or Prime Minister Beata Szydło – says Bartłomiej Wróblewski, MP from Law and Justice. – Taking all things into consideration, they are the best fit for this function – he adds.
MP Zbigniew Bogucki and the president of the Institute of National Remembrance Karol Nawrocki are also still in the game.
Disputes in PiS before the congress
What is important in the context of these declarations is that the election of a presidential candidate is primarily a time of internal disputes between various groups in Law and Justice before the congress. Each faction tries to promote and keep the name of its favorite in the political game. However, many emphasize that this public discussion is also a form of campaign.
Jarosław Kaczyński will make the final decision anyway. – This will be a person who has a chance to win in the second round of the presidential elections, that's what we are guided by – says Mariusz Błaszczak. – Our ambitions, our beliefs, our dreams are not important – he adds.
Jacek Sasin also commented on Mariusz Błaszczak's candidacy. – If we accept the concept of a candidate who is rather a new face, presents a certain freshness, a new opening, then of course Mariusz Błaszczak is not an ideal candidate in this case, he represents a different type of candidate – says Jacek Sasin, an MP from Law and Justice.
What is important to Jarosław Kaczyński?
As PiS politicians tell us in unofficial conversations, it is crucial for Jarosław Kaczyński that their candidate does not represent only one faction, that he guarantees entry into the second round and then achieves the best possible result, and that – regardless of his popularity he will gain in the campaign – even after winning the election, he remained loyal to Kaczyński.
– I think that for any politician, if he received such an offer, it would be a huge honor – says Marcin Przydacz, MP from Law and Justice and former minister in the president's office.
Main photo source: TVN24