PiS MP Suspended Over Criticism of Częstochowa Referendum Plans

The Law and Justice (PiS) party has suspended MP Szymon Giżyński after he publicly criticized his regional colleagues for supporting a local referendum aimed at recalling Częstochowa’s leadership and city council.

Internal Party Conflict Over Referendum Strategy

On July 6, Lidia Burzyńska, head of the PiS structures in the Częstochowa district, and MP Andrzej Gawron announced that the party’s regional board had decided to support a referendum to remove Mayor Krzysztof Matyjaszczyk and the city council. The decision implies active party participation in gathering signatures for the initiative.

Szymon Giżyński, a former deputy minister who led the district until 2024, responded with a sarcastic statement. He criticized the decision, suggesting that prioritizing the referendum could undermine PiS’s position in the local government and inadvertently favor the interests of the Platforma Obywatelska party.

Allegations of Political Misalignment

Giżyński suggested that the referendum effort is linked to figures from the Third Way, specifically citing Poland 2050 MP Piotr Strach as a leader of the project. He implied that the move might prioritize individual interests over the party’s long-term standing in the city, where PiS holds the largest council faction despite the city being governed by a coalition of the Civic Coalition and the Left.

When questioned about the suspension, Giżyński stated he accepted the decision of party leader Jarosław Kaczyński without comment. Lidia Burzyńska, when asked if she had filed a formal complaint against the MP, remarked only that Law and Justice operates as a monolithic party.

Context of the Recall Campaign

The push for the referendum stems from corruption allegations against Mayor Krzysztof Matyjaszczyk, who was detained by the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau in February. Prosecutors have brought two corruption charges against the mayor, though he denies any wrongdoing, maintains his innocence, and has rejected calls for his resignation.

The ongoing corruption investigation in Częstochowa has implicated over 20 individuals, including other local government officials. As the legal proceedings continue, referendum organizers face a mid-August deadline to collect the 15,900 signatures required to trigger a recall vote.