Coalition Crisis Looming? Unofficial Reports Indicate Poland 2050 Might Back Łukasz Gibała

Poland 2050 could back Łukasz Gibała in the upcoming early Kraków mayoral election on September 27, potentially straining the ruling coalition amid shifting political alliances.

Meeting in Late July

Poland 2050 leader and Funds Minister Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz met with Łukasz Gibała and councillors from the Kraków dla Mieszkańców club in late July. On the X platform, she stated that it was a “good conversation” about “residents’ right to decide on Airbnb (referring to short-term rentals) and the metropolitan act.” Pełczyńska-Nałęcz mysteriously announced at the time that “to be continued.”

Gibała Enters the Mayoral Race

Councillor Łukasz Gibała, a former Civic Platform and Palikot’s Movement MP, announced last Friday that he will run in the early mayoral election. This is the fourth time he will be running for the position, and he is currently considered the favorite in the race for the mayor’s office.

Potential Endorsement by Poland 2050

According to unofficial PAP findings, the scenario in which Poland 2050 would support Łukasz Gibała’s candidacy is not excluded. Politicians from the grouping emphasize that such a decision has not yet been formally made, but both sides share common themes and “no major discrepancies.”

One of the Polish Press Agency’s interlocutors explained that they are planning further meetings, noting that to their knowledge there is currently no other candidate they would want to talk to, though official support is still a long way off. They added that the decision is ahead of them, but Gibała’s way of thinking is indeed close to their political thinking.

Changes in Poland 2050’s Candidacy

Originally, Poland 2050’s candidate for mayor of Kraków was supposed to be the head of its parliamentary club, Paweł Śliz. However, last Monday the politician informed Polish Radio 24 that he does not intend to run.

Early Presidential Election in Kraków

The early mayoral election in Kraków will take place on September 27 of this year, which is related to the May referendum in which city residents recalled Aleksander Miszalski (KO) from the function of mayor. In the 2024 local elections, councillor Łukasz Gibała was the main rival of the KO candidate, with Miszalski ultimately winning by defeating Gibała in the second round by only about 5.4 thousand votes.

Impact on the Ruling Coalition

Poland 2050’s decision to support Łukasz Gibała could increase tensions within the ruling camp, given that Senator Monika Piątkowska (backed by Civic Coalition and PSL) and MP Daria Gosek-Popiołek from the New Left club are also fighting for the mayor’s seat. Such a move by Poland 2050 would not be a surprise, however, as Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz has long positioned her party as an internal critic within the ruling coalition.

Other Mayoral Candidates

Other figures who have declared their candidacy for mayor of Kraków include former Supreme Audit Office head Marian Banaś, Bartosz Bocheńczak (Confederation), Michał Dwernicki (PiS), presidential recall referendum initiator Jan Hoffman, Michał Klimek (KORWiN Confederation), Aleksandra Owca (Razem Party), Sławomir Pietrzyk (Polish Social Democracy), Marta Ratuszyńska (Dobry Radom grouping), Grażyna Zofia Świat (Nonpartisan Local Government Activists of Lesser Poland), and former Kraków councillor Łukasz Wantuch.

Origins and Evolution of Poland 2050

Poland 2050 is a centrist party that Szymon Hołownia founded after taking third place in the 2020 presidential election, where he won 13.87 percent of the vote. In the 2023 parliamentary elections, the party ran in a coalition with PSL as Third Way, which ultimately won 14.4 percent of the vote.

Third Way was dissolved in June 2025, and since then Poland 2050 and PSL have been analyzed separately in polls. Most recent research indicates that both parties are below the electoral threshold in terms of support.

Following the internal elections in January, Funds Minister Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz became the chairwoman of the grouping. In mid-February of this year, a split occurred in the party, resulting in Climate Minister Paulina Hennig-Kloska leaving the grouping along with a group of a dozen or so parliamentarians to form a new parliamentary club named Centrum.