Following a preliminary exit poll on May 24 showing 97.8% of voters favoring the recall of Mayor Aleksander Miszalski, attention turns to the potential candidates for a new municipal election.
Referendum Results and Validation
An exit poll conducted by the Ogólnopolska Grupa Badawcza for Polsat News and Stan360 indicates overwhelming support for the recall. For the results to be binding, at least 158,555 Krakow residents, representing 3/5 of the turnout from the second round of the mayoral election, must have participated.
Preliminary estimates suggest a turnout of 33.4%, which would satisfy the threshold for the recall. Official results from the Krakow branch of the National Electoral Office are expected on the morning of Monday, May 25.
Announced and Potential Candidates
Konfederacja has announced Bartosz Bocheńczak, former chief of staff to Sławomir Mentzen, as its candidate. Marian Banaś, former president of the Supreme Audit Office (NIK), has also declared his intention to run, citing a need for honest management.
Analysts suggest that while figures like Bogdan Klich or Łukasz Gibała are being discussed as viable contenders, major parties like Civic Coalition (KO) and Law and Justice (PiS) face challenges in fielding attractive candidates. Media reports have even included speculative names such as Andrzej Duda in the public discourse.
Broader List of Contenders
According to portal KR.24, the list of potential candidates for the mayoral position also includes Konrad Berkowicz, Grzegorz Braun, Michał Drewnicki, Adam Hareńczyk, Jan Hoffman, Piotr Kempf, Łukasz Kmita, Aleksandra Owca, Bogusław Sonik, Ireneusz Raś, and Małgorzata Wassermann.
