Power struggle in Poland 2050 saw vice-chair dismissed after attempting to replace National Council members during chairman’s absence.
Council Replacement Attempt
On Thursday around noon, a dispute occurred in the Poland 2050 parliamentary club. According to our findings, on Wednesday the mandates of nine delegates (six MPs and three senators) from the Poland 2050 parliamentary club to the party’s National Council expired. In this situation, some MPs, led by club vice-chair Aleksandra Leo, decided Thursday morning to begin the process of filling the vacancies in the Council.
A resolution “to elect nine members of the National Council” of Poland 2050 was passed in a regular procedure. MP Marcin Skonieczka announced the club’s decision on the X platform.
Dismissal and Reactions
However, according to our sources at Gazeta.pl, the procedure to fill the National Council was undertaken in the absence of the club chairman Paweł Śliz (the politician is absent from the Sejm on Thursday for family reasons, attending a funeral). In this situation, some parliamentarians did not recognize the resolution, and MP Aleksandra Leo was removed from her position as vice-chair by Śliz’s decision.
Meanwhile, another vice-chair of the club, MP Bartosz Romowicz became first vice-chairman, and club secretary Kamil Wnuk became second vice-chairman.
Rivaling Perspectives
According to MPs sympathetic to Aleksandra Leo, she did not break the law, nor is there any talk of a “coup”.
“This was an action in accordance with the club’s regulations. Ola Leo, as vice-chair, had the right to pass a resolution to fill the positions of those whose mandates had expired in the National Council. All of this was legal, just as we agreed as a club” – emphasized MP Ewa Szymanowska in an interview with Gazeta.pl.
According to her, Chairman Śliz had no right to remove Aleksandra Leo. “The letter issued by Paweł Śliz should be withdrawn because there were no grounds to dismiss her” – added Szymanowska.
Leadership Contest Background
Interestingly, the letter from Paweł Śliz regarding changes to the club presidency, which Gazeta.pl also saw, is dated January 21. Meanwhile – according to our information – as recently as Wednesday, Aleksandra Leo was leading club meetings.
“No one informed her of her dismissal, so it appears it was backdated” – we hear from MPs sympathetic to the dismissed deputy chairwoman.
Aleksandra Leo herself also believes that Śliz’s resolution was passed on Thursday, after the process of filling the National Council had already begun. “Yesterday (Chairman Śliz – ed.) asked me to lead the club meeting and to replace him at the Convention of Seniors” – Leo told journalists in the Sejm.
Hołownia’s Response
The Thursday dispute in Poland 2050 is one episode of a conflict that arose several weeks ago during internal elections. In these elections, two ministers made it to the second round: Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz and Paulina Hennig-Kloska. Paweł Śliz is a supporter of the former, Aleksandra Leo – the latter.
“Comrades, this is not an 18th-century noble assembly. This is not the ‘1670’ series, this is Poland 2050. So if someone wants to make Poland 1670, I invite them to other places that are not lacking on the political scene, but sorry, not with me” – Hołownia said in the Sejm Thursday.
According to our information, Paulina Hennig-Kloska, Minister of Climate and Environment, has a better chance of winning. Hence, as her supporters explain – the nervousness of the party backing of her rival, Minister of Funds and Regional Policy Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz.
