Polish media personality and former presidential hopeful Szymon Hołownia has applied to become United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and says he is withdrawing from Polish politics after a wave of criticism and hostile commentary.
Application to the United Nations
Szymon Hołownia has submitted an application to serve as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. A few days ago, he announced on social media that he had informed his party’s National Council of his participation in the publicly announced selection process opened by UN Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres.
Poland 2050 MP Discusses Exit
During the Sunday Radio Zet program “7th Day of the Week,” host Andrzej Stankiewicz asked Poland 2050 MP Aleksandra Leo whether Hołownia’s departure was due to the presidential election defeat. Leo replied that it was not the case, citing two factors: first, that he had opened the possibility; second, that after recent decisions he had received a “hit with a blow” from a wave of hate, making the situation very difficult.
Opposition Voices Criticize the Move
Polish European Parliament member Tomasz Bocheński likened Hołownia’s exit to a television star ending a contract after a hit season, saying the MP was abandoning both his colleagues and his voters and calling the behaviour “unworthy.” He questioned who currently holds the UN post. Łukasz Rzepecki of Confederation mocked the transition, suggesting that where “Poland 2050” was meant to lead, it will now be “Szymon Hołowni’s retirement 2050.” Dariusz Joński of the Civic Platform noted the question of whether Poland leaves Szymon or Szymon leaves Poland, stressing the importance of Poles holding significant positions worldwide and arguing that merely sending a CV is insufficient.
Hołownia on His Chances
Hołownia admitted that the prospects of securing the UN position are slim, stating, “A week ago, when we started the process, there were none. After the ‘sambie’ I went through, I am still hopeful that I could find a place where I can focus on a language that everyone knows from my past life: the language of bread, dressing, hugging, and hope.” He expressed gratitude to the President, Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and Foreign Minister for their unequivocal support and for involving their diplomatic machinery in the endeavour.
Meeting with Guterres
On Saturday, Hołownia met UN Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres in New York. He described the conversation as very good but declined to assess his chances for the role. Applications for the post may be submitted until 6 October, with candidates including politicians from Iraq, France, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. The final decision rests with the Secretary‑General and the chosen candidate must be approved by the UN General Assembly.
