Internal turmoil rocks Poland 2050: Over half of MPs depart

Three years ago, Poland 2050 entered the elections on the Third Way (Trzecia Droga) party ticket under the slogan “Enough quarrelling – forward!”. Less than three weeks after the party concluded its internal elections, a split has already occurred, resulting in the creation of a new parliamentary caucus. Former party colleagues are trading accusations of desertion and deceit.

Not even three weeks have passed since the election of a new leader of Poland 2050, and the party has already suffered a serious rupture. After the victory of Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz, her main rival, Paulina Hennig-Kloska, publicly expressed hope that the new leader would mend the party’s internal divisions. The new chair’s subsequent moves, however, have failed to win over a significant portion of party activists.

The post-election landscape in Poland 2050 after Pełczyńska-Nałęcz’s victory

The National Council of Poland 2050 adopted a resolution to suspend personnel decisions for one month. This move met with opposition from MPs aligned with Paulina Hennig-Kloska, who had been pressing for changes in the leadership of the parliamentary caucus.

By way of reminder: in January, when the caucus leader Paweł Śliz was absent and temporarily replaced by Aleksandra Leo, she attempted to fill vacant seats on the National Council with representatives of the parliamentary caucus. She was subsequently removed from her post as deputy chair of the caucus. By contrast, MP Bartosz Romowicz was appointed to the caucus presidium. He had belonged to a group of politicians seeking to invalidate the party’s internal elections so that Szymon Hołownia could continue to lead Poland 2050. Alongside him and Paweł Śliz, the presidium also included MP Kamil Wnuk.

Speaking on the program XYZ Polityki, Aleksandra Leo said she had considered appealing the caucus leader’s decision. The faction associated with Paulina Hennig-Kloska had sought changes to the caucus presidium so that it would also include figures not linked to Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz. That, however, did not happen.

A wave of departures from Poland 2050

The first departure from the parliamentary caucus of Poland 2050 came as early as Saturday. MP Żaneta Cwalina-Śliwowska decided to leave, setting off a sequence of exits.

Another departure followed on Monday. MEP Michał Kobosko left Poland 2050. When Szymon Hołownia announced his entry into politics and his bid for the presidency in 2019, Mr. Kobosko was among his closest collaborators. He also served for a time as chair of Poland 2050, during the period when the movement was being formally established and before Mr. Hołownia decided to assume the leadership himself.

In recent months, however, Mr. Kobosko had been openly critical of how the party was being run by Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz, to whom Mr. Hołownia had delegated part of his responsibilities even before the internal party elections. The MEP had considered standing in those elections but concluded that leading a party in crisis from the vantage point of the European Parliament would be impractical.

Among the reasons for his departure, Mr. Kobosko cited Saturday’s resolution of the National Council, what he described as scandalous attempts to blow up the electoral process, and threats by Szymon Hołownia to remove a dozen or so MPs from the parliamentary caucus.

Also leaving Poland 2050 were former deputy foreign minister Anna Radwan-Röhrenschef and deputy minister of national defence Paweł Zalewski, who is also an MP. Zalewski announced that he would sit as an independent lawmaker. Although he also said he would focus on his work at the Ministry of National Defence, his continued tenure as deputy minister has been thrown into question following his departure from the party that had recommended him for the post.

On Wednesday morning, Joanna Mucha announced that she, too, was leaving Poland 2050. A former deputy education minister, she placed third in the first round of the party’s internal elections. She said she would remain in the Sejm as an independent MP, as Paweł Zalewski has done.

Other parliamentarians, including MP Ewa Szymanowska and MP Ryszard Petru, have also publicly weighed the possibility of leaving. Petru has suggested the formation of a new parliamentary caucus. Speaking on Monday on TVN24 channel, however, he said he would not announce such a move on his own.

Centrum: a new parliamentary caucus

The implementation of these announcements did not take long. On Wednesday morning, Paulina Hennig-Kloska, together with a group of MPs, announced in the Sejm the creation of a new parliamentary caucus. The minister for climate and environment said it would be called Centrum (the Center).

“We have just taken the decision to establish a parliamentary caucus in which we can regain the space to work and to deliver on the pledges we made during the 2023 campaign. Centrum is a place where people come together, forge sound compromises, and achieve results. It is a place of balance – an antidote to the extremes of which Poland has had far too many in recent years,” Paulina Hennig-Kloska said.

A new coalition partner, a new allocation of posts?

Paulina Hennig-Kloska added that she would hold talks with the prime minister on the new caucus’s participation in government. A parliamentary caucus enjoys broader prerogatives than a smaller parliamentary circle: it has a representative in the Sejm presidium and is allotted more speaking time during plenary debates.

Following the rotation in the office of Speaker of the Sejm, Poland 2050 continues to be represented in the presidium by Szymon Hołownia, now as a deputy speaker. It cannot be ruled out that the Centrum caucus will seek to secure its own deputy speakership.

The same may apply to positions in government. Until the departures of Paweł Zalewski and Paulina Hennig-Kloska, Poland 2050 held 18 posts in the government (including deputy ministers and state secretaries at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister). A reshuffle here, too, is a distinct possibility. Among those close to Paulina Hennig-Kloska who currently hold party endorsements are her deputies at the climate ministry, Krzysztof Bolesta and Mikołaj Dorożała.

Responding to questions on these issues, Paulina Hennig-Kloska said that “every caucus that is part of the coalition must have the tools it needs to do its job.”

What about a deputy prime minister’s post for Pełczyńska-Nałęcz?

Asked about Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz’s chances of becoming deputy prime minister, Paulina Hennig-Kloska asked to be excused from answering.

“This discussion has been going on for far too long and has exhausted all of us,” she commented.

Shortly after the results of the party leadership elections were announced, Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz said that her mandate was fourfold. She was referring to the recommendation for the post of deputy prime minister that she received in the autumn from the parliamentary caucus and the National Council, as well as her victories in both rounds of the party elections. That recommendation, too, had been contested by Paulina Hennig-Kloska.

Last week was supposed to see the first meeting of coalition leaders in their new configuration. Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz was expected to make her debut in that forum, replacing Szymon Hołownia. The meeting did not take place, however. It was pre-empted by a session of the National Security Council convened by the president, which lasted around six hours and did not conclude until the evening.

Centrum’s numerical edge over Poland 2050

At the press conference, Paulina Hennig-Kloska was joined, among others, by Aleksandra Leo, Ryszard Petru, Ewa Szymanowska, Sławomir Ćwik, Żaneta Cwalina-Śliwowska, Barbara Oliwiecka, Marcin Skonieczka, Mirosław Suchoń, Rafał Kasprzyk, Elżbieta Burkiewicz, Barbara Okuła, Norbert Pietrykowski, and Rafał Komarewicz. The caucus is also being joined by MP Izabela Bodnar, who left Poland 2050 in July.

Senator Piotr Masłowski announced that of the five senators who had so far represented Poland 2050, four are leaving the party. Three of them will join the Centrum caucus: Grzegorz Fedorowicz and Jacek Trela, in addition to Masłowski himself. The Poland 2050 parliamentary caucus is also being left by Mirosław Różański, who, however, is not joining Centrum alongside the other departing senators.

This means that the Centrum caucus will be made up of 15 MPs and three senators. That gives it a narrow numerical advantage over the Poland 2050 caucus, which is left with the same number of MPs and one senator.

Those remaining in the Poland 2050 caucus are Szymon Hołownia, Paweł Śliz, Agnieszka Buczyńska, Michał Gramatyka, Maja Nowak, Piotr Górnikiewicz, Adam Gomoła, Bartosz Romowicz, Piotr Strach, Wioleta Tomczak, Łukasz Osmalak, Kamil Wnuk, Adam Luboński, Ewa Schaedler, and Bożenna Hołownia (no family ties to Szymon Hołownia), as well as Senate deputy speaker Maciej Żywno.

Szymon Hołownia: they are leaving out of hatred toward Ms. Pełczyńska-Nałęcz

Shortly before noon, the former leader of Poland 2050 – now a deputy speaker of the Sejm – Szymon Hołownia commented on the split in the party, saying it saddened him.

“We walked this road together for six years. I was the one who approved every man and woman who is now leaving Poland 2050 for top positions on the electoral lists. I remember the battles I fought – also with our coalition partners – to secure places on the lists for Piotr Masłowski, Ewa Szymanowska, and Aleksandra Leo. What happened today hurts me deeply and tears my heart apart as the founder of this movement. In the first round I voted for Paulina Hennig-Kloska; in the second, for Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz. The group of splitters leaving under the leadership of Paulina Hennig-Kloska is not departing because of a different vision of politics. They are leaving out of hatred toward Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz. It is hatred toward a chair elected in a democratic vote – hatred that, in some cases, bears the hallmarks of something clinical – that has led to this division,” Mr. Hołownia said.

Mr. Hołownia on the breakaway caucus: “a list-filler for the Civic Coalition”

Szymon Hołownia criticized the breakaway group, saying it lacked party structures and that the new political vehicle would be sustained solely by its parliamentary activity. He did not spare Paulina Hennig-Kloska pointed remarks.

“That is enough to hold talks with the prime minister. It is not enough, however, to be anything more in the 2027 elections than a list-filler for the Civic Coalition (KO). I bear no hatred toward any of them. I will remember my cooperation with Marcin Skonieczka and with Gen. Mirosław Różański positively. You know my view of Ryszard Petru. He should have been removed from Poland 2050 long ago, and it is chairman Śliz’s fault that this has not happened to date. I feel deceived by Paulina Hennig-Kloska. She is a minister whom I repeatedly defended before our coalition partners. KO will probably be the third list from which she runs in elections,” Mr. Hołownia said.

Mr. Hołownia’s explanations: the former leader distances himself from responsibility

Asked about his personal responsibility for the situation in Poland 2050, the party’s founder and former leader acknowledged that it had been a mistake to “yield to advice and hand over the leadership.”

“I reproach myself for having yielded to advice and handing over the leadership of the party. That was a mistake. Under my leadership, Poland 2050 was what it was, its polling numbers were what they were, but it was united and orderly,” said Szymon Hołownia.

He added that to colleagues who would now, as he put it, “hang dogs on him,” he would recall, among other things, the appointments at regional environmental protection funds, where a significant number of senior positions were held by people linked to Poland 2050. Ministerial oversight of those funds rests with Paulina Hennig-Kloska.

In his narrative, however, Hołownia omits the fact that until recently he had sought to step back from the front line of party politics. After his unsuccessful presidential bid, he pursued the post of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. He chose not to run again for party leader, despite encouragement from Barbara Oliwiecka and Aleksandra Leo, both of whom left Poland 2050 on Wednesday.

Ms. Pełczyńska-Nałęcz: the breakaway group failed the test of democracy

Shortly after noon, Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz held her own press conference. She was joined by Paweł Śliz, head of the Poland 2050 caucus, Senate deputy speaker Maciej Żywno, as well as MPs and local government officials sympathetic to Poland 2050.

“The greatest test of democracy lies in accepting the choice of the democratic majority. Unfortunately, some people could not reconcile themselves to this result and have deserted. It is sad, but Poland 2050 was, is, and will continue to be. Here is Poland 2050! It is represented by MPs and a senator who remember that we represent Poland 2050, our voters, and our causes. Poland 2050 is a clear center. It is a formation that fights for the rights of the middle class. We will always stand on the side of residents, not big corporations. We will fight for fair taxation for the middle class and entrepreneurs. We are signatories of the coalition agreement and part of the coalition since October 15. My rivals promised that they would accept the result after the elections. Today, they have deserted. We will continue to act as the group that remains,” Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz said.

Withdrawn recommendations for departing members

Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz affirmed that she intends to remain part of the coalition and is not considering the formation of a technocratic government, as advocated by Law and Justice (PiS).

Asked about the future of departing ministers and deputy ministers, she said their positions now depend on the Civic Coalition (KO) as the largest coalition partner. She also announced that recommendations for those leaving the party have been withdrawn – a measure affecting, for example, Paweł Zalewski.

When questioned about her own prospects as a potential deputy prime minister, she responded similarly to Szymon Hołownia earlier, emphasizing that it is ultimately Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s commitment.

“Whoever keeps their commitments should answer to their own conscience. If the coalition is unable to implement changes, then we will sit down for the most serious discussion. We are here for issues, not for positions – but if someone has taken on a commitment regarding positions, they must be accountable. We will not forget that a commitment was made. If we issue ultimatums, they will be about issues. One has to ask: what is it in Polish politics that makes keeping such a simple commitment so difficult?” Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz said.

Split in Poland 2050. Prime Minister’s reaction

Prime Minister Donald Tusk commented on the split in Poland 2050. He stressed that the rupture does not threaten the coalition’s parliamentary majority, though it could affect the quality of cooperation and the allocation of positions. Just two weeks earlier, following Poland 2050’s internal elections, the prime minister had already spoken on the matter.

“In recent days and hours, both Minister Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz and Minister Paulina Hennig-Kloska have assured me that, regardless of the turbulence within their party, they will remain loyal to the government and the coalition formed on October 15. The parliamentary majority will remain stable in the months and years ahead. We have weathered bigger shocks on the European and global stage during a good term. The coming months and years will be a time of stable development,” Prime Minister Donald Tusk said during a speech at the Warsaw Stock Exchange.

Key Takeaways

1. Prime Minister Donald Tusk is unconcerned about coalition stability. He noted that both Pełczyńska-Nałęcz and Hennig-Kloska have assured him of their loyalty to the October 15 coalition.
2. Over half of Poland 2050’s parliamentary caucus has left. MPs Paweł Zalewski and Joanna Mucha will remain independent. A group of MPs and senators around Paulina Hennig-Kloska has formed a new parliamentary caucus called Centrum. They are dissatisfied with moves by Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz, who sought to suspend personnel decisions after the party elections. The breakaway group had sought changes in the caucus presidium, which was dominated by the new leader’s allies. The new caucus will hold a narrow numerical advantage over the remaining Poland 2050 caucus.
3. Pełczyńska-Nałęcz characterizes the departures as desertion. She argues that the breakaway MPs failed the test of democracy and disregarded the results of the party elections. Former leader Szymon Hołownia expressed harsher criticism, saying the split is driven by hatred toward Pełczyńska-Nałęcz. He added that he feels betrayed by Paulina Hennig-Kloska. Hołownia does not see fault on his own side, aside from not running for re-election as Poland 2050 leader.