On Saturday, 25 October, Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party and opposition Civic Platform held conventions that sparked a call for unity, announcements of a new citizen coalition, and searing commentary from the political spectrum.
Conventions Set the Stage
On Saturday, 25 October, Poland’s ruling Law and Justice (PiS) and opposition Civic Platform (PO) held their annual conventions. PiS used the event to outline its programmatic agenda, while PO announced the formal merger of Civic Platform, Modern, and Polish Initiative.
Tusk Declares New Citizen Coalition
“What do we call ourselves today? We call ourselves the Citizen Coalition,” announced Prime Minister Donald Tusk. He said that the country had united because it recognised that the issue was not only about power and upcoming elections but about whether Poland remains a sovereign state and whether Poles can preserve the freedom won in 1989 despite external and internal pressures. “We realise we are not perfect,” Tusk added.
Opposition Voices Critique
After the conventions, members of the coalition and others weighed in. Left‑wing club chair and MP Anna Maria Żukowska said, “Let us hurry and love parties. They leave so quickly.” Government spokesperson Adam Szłapka wrote, “United good people are invincible!” Senator Sławomir Rybicki, who helped create Civic Platform, reflected, “Civic Platform, the party I helped build from day one, ends its operations today. It contributed greatly to modernising Poland, building a market economy, and a democratic state of law. It was worthwhile!” Radosław Sikorski responded to PiS deputy chair and MP Anna Krupa’s remark that Daniel Obajtek is a Polish Midas, whose touch turns everything into gold, and tweeted, “Interesting to see whether they know how Midas ends.”
Right‑Wing Reactions
“On the PO convention you will not see J. Kurski, who wants to ‘reform’ public media. You will also not see the desperado from Żoliborz who dreams of war with the EU. You will see positive energy. See you!” said KO MP Zbigniew Konwiński. Journalist Jacek Nizinkiewicz of Rzeczpospolita wrote, “When Jarosław Kaczyński fights with Confederation and stages a convention like in 2007, recalling figures that brought PiS power, such as Jacek Kurski, Mateusz Morawiecki, and Zbigniew Ziobro, Donald Tusk strengthens the morale of the governing coalition’s voters by displaying unity and cooperation.”
Vice‑president of the President’s Office, Adam Andruszkiewicz, panned Tusk for taking in former allies, saying, “D. Tusk has just politically consumed his former coalition. Are there people now ready to share their fate? Not worth it.” European Parliament MEP Tobiasz Bocheński warned that the current government would bring Rzeczpospolita to the bottom. Journalist Jarosław Kaczyński contrasted the parties, noting that PiS wants to improve Polish living conditions while Civic Platform merely changes its name to improve polling numbers. Rafal Bochenek claimed, “At noon Civic Platform began its Halloween. They’ll dust and enchant, though masks have long fallen off, and underneath remain the same faces of those who have cheated many times. Preparations for another fraud are full.”
Media Tactics and Commentary
TV Republika editor Tomasz Sakiewicz noted, “Again Tusk beat Kaczyński: he first dissolved PO.” Confederation vice‑spokesman Wojciech Machulski warned that PiS has not changed and will continue the mistakes of its previous governments, calling for an end to state media propaganda.
