Poland 2050 founder Szymon Hołownia postponed a crucial leadership meeting, saying “not here, not today” amid party tensions over future direction.
Meeting Postponed Amid Leadership Uncertainty
As reported this afternoon, the meeting between Hołownia and politicians Paulina Hennig-Kloska and Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz was scheduled to take place after Friday’s votes in the Sejm. It has been postponed to another date. The founder and current leader of Poland 2050 confirmed on Friday evening that during the day he had contact with both politicians who are running to lead the party.
“I hope the meeting with Paulina and Katarzyna will happen, but not here, not today,” Hołownia told journalists in the Sejm.
Will Poland 2050 Have Two Female Leaders?
The conversation was to concern the future of the party, especially the sharp tensions that have arisen in recent weeks within the group. In this situation, Hołownia agreed to a proposal by Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz to abandon the second round of internal elections and change the party leadership model so that the two co-chairs of Poland 2050 would be precisely the minister of funds and regional policy and Paulina Hennig-Kloska.
Both politicians should face off in a repeated electoral playoff next week, with the deadline for organizing the vote being January 31.
Hennig-Kloska Rejected Co-Chairship Proposal
Hennig-Kloska has so far rejected the possibility of co-chairing the party, emphasizing that internal elections need to be completed because the majority of party activists support this. She also, according to Poland 2050 politicians, currently has greater chances of winning, especially since some of Pełczyńska-Nałęcz’s former supporters are Hołownia’s party apparatus, which would prefer that the party continue to be led by its founder.
National Council Appointment Controversy
The Poland 2050 club also elected delegates to the National Council on Friday evening. The majority, as reported, are supporters of changes in the party who back Hennig-Kloska’s candidacy, although Szymon Hołownia was also included in the body.
During the process of filling vacancies in the National Council, a scandal occurred on Thursday in which MP Aleksandra Leo was dismissed from her position as vice-chairman of the club. Because the mandates of the club’s current delegates expired on Wednesday, and some MPs demanded the vacancies be filled as quickly as possible, Leo decided to begin the election procedure. A resolution on this matter was adopted in the club, but this happened in the absence of club chairman Paweł Śliz, who then decided to remove Leo from the club’s presidium.
Hołownia Meets with Supporters Only
After Friday’s votes in the Sejm, Hołownia invited Poland 2050 MPs to his office. They were mainly his supporters, including MPs Bartosz Romowicz, Kamil Wnuk, Łukasz Osmalak and Barbara Okuła. Some of Hennig-Kloska’s supporters directly stated that they are not interested in the meeting.
