Roman Giertych appeared before the backdrop of the Civic Coalition and declared that although he had previously been unaffiliated, that is no longer the case—he is now joining Civic Platform.
In the second round of Sunday’s presidential election, Karol Nawrocki, the candidate supported by Law and Justice (PiS), emerged victorious with 50.89% of the vote. The Civic Coalition’s candidate, Rafał Trzaskowski, secured 49.11% support. The result triggered a sharp conflict within the ruling coalition, as members of the governing parties are now openly clashing and exchanging pointed remarks.
“I Was Unaffiliated”
How did Roman Giertych respond? He released a rather subdued address on YouTube, during which he made an announcement. But first, he issued an apology for the defeat and for the mistakes that, as he put it, “were in some way shared by all of us.”
“And for the inefficiency of this campaign, which was glaringly obvious—to me as well. My suggestions were not always heeded. In fact, I must say, they rarely were,” he lamented. He also remarked that there had been “American support” during the campaign—“which I consider a disgraceful gesture by the Trump administration,” he added sharply.
Ultimately, Giertych reminded viewers that “Poland has a parliamentary-cabinet system, not a presidential one.” He emphasized, “It is the government that holds power, and Prime Minister Tusk leads the government.”
“I want to encourage civic engagement. Civic Platform still lacks the numbers needed to balance the online advantage. We need many more people—many more members of the party. I’ve decided to lead by example. I was unaffiliated, but today I’ve submitted my application to join Civic Platform. I hope to contribute not only a slight conservative touch, but also renewed energy for the party’s development. I encourage everyone who was involved in the campaign to consider joining Civic Platform to help keep it vibrant. It is a tool through which we can reach policymakers,” Giertych stated.