Opponents of Aleksander Miszalski (Civic Coalition, KO) have submitted a motion to the National Electoral Office’s delegation in Cracow, signed by nearly 134,000 residents, requesting a referendum to remove the politician from the office of the city’s mayor. The National Electoral Office now has 30 days to verify the signatures. Organizers estimate that the election commissioner could schedule the referendum for May 17 or May 24.
For the commissioner to issue a decision to hold the referendum, at least 58,355 valid signatures must be confirmed under the motion—equivalent to 10 percent of Cracow’s eligible voters. The referendum committee, supported by political opponents of the Civic Coalition, collected more than twice the required minimum and finished the campaign ahead of schedule—after 43 days, although the law allows 60 days for collecting signatures.
Miszalski’s opponents accuse him of, among other things, increasing the city’s debt, cronyism, failing to fulfill election promises, and conducting the office in an unworthy manner. They also criticize the way the Clean Transport Zone (SCT) was introduced and its rules, as well as higher ticket prices, extended paid parking hours, and the introduction of parking fees on Sundays.
Before submitting the signatures, organizers of the referendum initiative spoke at a press conference.
“We would have taken 100,000 signatures without hesitation. Cracow wants change, it is striving for change, and that is why the signatures were collected so quickly,” they said.
“We hope that on May 24 we will have the referendum—still in the spring of change. We will enter the summer with better management of Cracow, because I believe that after Miszalski is recalled, Prime Minister Donald Tusk will appoint a competent person as the city commissioner. Afterwards elections will be held and residents, through collective wisdom, will choose a good steward for the coming years,” participants added.
As emphasized by the organizers, the initiative does not have a political character. They stressed that “well over 100,000 signatures” were collected without the involvement of any political parties.