On November 18, Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party declined to nominate a deputy speaker for the Sejm, with leader Jarosław Kaczyński denouncing the political agreement as criminal.
PiS Refuses to Nominate Deputy Marshal
Journalists asked Jarosław Kaczyński in the Sejm corridor whether Law and Justice would put forward a candidate for deputy marshal. He replied, “No,” stating that the decision had already been made. Kaczyński added that the current arrangement is “criminal, external, and criminal at the same time,” and that the party sees no reason to participate, even superficially. He warned that people interpret such participation as having a stake in power.
Kaczyński’s remarks came after his party’s single representative on the Sejm presidium was noted to have only a “superficial” influence on the chamber’s work and decisions. He also recalled that when PiS was in opposition, it held the position of deputy marshal. “It was not the war of that kind, unlike today,” the MP said, emphasizing that the context has changed.
Czarzasty Elected New Sejm Marshal
On Wednesday, November 18, the Sejm elected Władysław Czarzasty of the Left party as its new marshal. His candidacy received 236 votes, against 209, with two abstentions from Sławomir Ćwik (Poland 2050) and Michał Kołodziejczak (Civic Coalition). Opponents of the election were MPs from Razem, PiS, and Konfederacja.
The former marshal, Szymon Hołownia of Poland 2050, resigned under a coalition agreement. He plans to run for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The same party had earlier announced the intent to nominate him for the deputy marshal position.
