Waldemar Buda, a PiS European Parliament member, faces possible suspension after participating in Łódź’s Freedom Games and claiming to have consulted with Jarosław Kaczyński.
Freedom Games
Waldemar Buda took part in a debate panel at the Freedom Games held in Łódź at the end of October. The event gathered several hundred speakers, including current government ministers. The participation of the PiS MEP sparked opposition from some party activists.
Łódź city councillor Piotr Cieplucha called the MEP’s appearance a scandal, accusing the party of retroactively legitimising the current government. Buda defended his actions, stating that he wanted to present a conservative perspective and reach a broader audience. He added that he had consulted with Jarosław Kaczyński before attending the Games.
Did Jarosław Kaczyński Agree?
According to Radio Łódź, after Buda’s claim of consulting with Kaczyński, Łódź PiS chief Agnieszka Wojciechowska‑van Heukelom intended to file a suspension request. She believes that such consultations may not have occurred based on certain sources.
Wojciechowska‑van Heukelom does not confirm the suspension but calls for “clarifications” from the MEP. Buda has not directly addressed the issue; on his social media profile he said he would “do it to the end of the day.”
PiS Outraged
The matter quickly gained wide echo within PiS. Some politicians defended Buda. Piotr Müller condemned suspending him for “fighting for votes in the friend’s field” as a grotesque act, noting that similar criticisms have arisen against MPs who work for TVN, Onet, and Radio Zet.
Paweł Jabłoński stated that politics also involves engaging with those holding different views, arguing that Buda should instead be rewarded. Krzysztof Szczukić echoed this sentiment, questioning whether PiS should only converse with its own supporters and emphasizing that party MPs should “promote our ideas.”
