Changes are underway in the local authorities of PiS structures, but the headquarters has a problem. The election of leaders did not go smoothly everywhere and not everywhere according to the instructions from Nowogrodzka Street. In Poznań, activists rejected Szymon Szynkowski aka Sęk, MP, and in Płock – Maciej Małecki. There are also problems in Gdańsk and Kielce.
Jarosław Kaczyński wanted Jacek Kurski to manage the important Gdańsk district, but local activists had a different opinion, which is why the former TVP head withdrew his candidacy. – This happened many years ago in Gdańsk. Several years ago there was also a case where the recommended candidate did not obtain a majority, so it happens, says Kazimierz Smoliński, head of the Law and Justice structures in Gdańsk.
Poznań PiS activists rejected Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk, the candidate indicated by the headquarters and the current head of Poznań's structures, although he was the only candidate. The MP himself did not want to comment on the voting results in front of the camera on November 12, but in a statement sent to PAP he writes that “some people were unnecessarily carried away by emotions and personal ambitions.” And he himself is focused on preparations to support the presidential campaign and is at the party's disposal in every role entrusted to him.
– Perhaps there was a stumble, but I wouldn't use it as an indication that consolidation is being disrupted somewhere. Unity is lasting – comments Mariusz Gosek, MP from Law and Justice.
Jan Krzysztof Ardanowski: PiS won't win anything with KaczyńskiMaciej Knapik/Fakty TVN
“Świętokrzyskie PiS is dying”
The candidate for the head of the Świętokrzyskie party structures, Anna Krupka, recommended by the party leadership, was protested, and local party activists directly called the voting date the funeral of the Świętokrzyskie PiS party.
– If there is any minor slip up within the structures, it will be corrected, law and order will be restored, but please have no doubts about unity – assures Mariusz Gosek.
According to Onet, Maciej Małecki, a long-time PiS MP and former deputy minister, lost in the vote for the head of local structures in Płock. Although he was the only candidate approved by the party headquarters.
– There is also a fight going on inside Law and Justice, a fight for power, a fight for influence, a fight for factional division, and these individual factions are also fighting each other today, trying to place pawns in the game – says Katarzyna Kotula, Minister for Equality, MP from the Left.
After the recent merger of PiS with Sovereign Polish power in the districts, the party must divide, and the signal sent by the regions to the headquarters before the presidential elections and even before the announcement of the candidate's name is unlikely to build unity.
– PiS is the only such centralized party in Poland, which means that everything is decided by the president, so to be honest, it's a good sign that there is someone who says that maybe not all of President Kaczyński's enlightened decisions are so great – says Cezary Tomczyk, deputy minister of defense, MP of the Civic Coalition.
Kaczyński: in a few days we will know the candidate for presidentTVN24
PiS local structures are increasingly making decisions contrary to the headquarters.
Łukasz Kmita had no problem with being elected head of the Małopolska structures. But it was his candidacy and unsuccessful election as voivodeship marshal, against the will and instructions of President Jarosław Kaczyński, that was the first such visible manifestation of the rebellion of local PiS structures.
SEE MORE: A secret letter regarding the election of the marshal was leaked. “Aims for the good of PiS”
– It used to be unthinkable that Jarosław Kaczyński would anoint this or that PiS representative, and that this or that representative would not achieve what Jarosław Kaczyński wanted, and now it looks like Jarosław Kaczyński points and the party says : no, thank you – points out Tomasz Trela, MP of the Left.
Local structures are to oppose the imposition of candidates who are not involved in the region's affairs but have well-known names. – It is also a sign for all of us that nothing is given to anyone once and for all, you just have to work hard, and the times are such that they require additional hard work – admits Piotr Kaleta, MP from Law and Justice.
The heads of districts have already included Łukasz Schreiber in Bydgoszcz, Zbigniew Bogucki in Szczecin and Przemysław Czarnek in Lublin.
Main photo source: TVN24