The coalition partners are still visibly dissatisfied with the outcome of Friday’s vote in the Sejm. Some members of the ruling majority, by voting “against” the Left’s proposal to reject the president’s draft law on ensuring the construction of Central Transport Hub (CPK), primarily angered Donald Tusk himself. Yet the harshest criticism has been directed at Szymon Hołownia – and from every side.
Without a doubt – after Friday’s vote, tensions within the December 13 coalition boiled even more. The Sejm did not accept the Left’s motion to reject, at first reading, the president’s draft law on ensuring the construction of the CPK. The outcome of the vote made it clear – the ruling camp is divided.
As a reminder – 203 MPs voted in favor of rejecting the president’s draft at first reading, 211 voted against, and 12 abstained. The “against” votes from politicians within Donald Tusk’s coalition proved decisive.
Since then, it has been impossible not to notice the turmoil inside Tusk’s “hive”. If it isn’t Rafał Trzaskowski venting his emotions at Campus, it is politicians from various factions biting at Szymon Hołownia whenever they can. All the more so because the leader of Polska 2050 responded to the words of the would-be president of Poland, which went as follows: “Today a certain Rubicon has been crossed. Because if a political group is in government, and yet splits off and votes with the president, then something deeply troubling is happening.”
“I don’t really share the conviction that Rafał Trzaskowski’s opinion regarding the existence of the October 15 coalition can have far-reaching consequences. […] I like Rafał, but I fundamentally disagree with him. If he believes this is crossing the Rubicon, then I have a different view, because I never agreed with anyone to wage a tribal war, nor do I intend to fight one with anyone,” Hołownia replied.
The attacks continue
Although emotions should now be settling down, the tense atmosphere still lingers. Today on Radio Zet, more politicians from the December 13 coalition launched criticisms at the Speaker of the Sejm. Among them was Robert Biedroń, MEP from New Left.
As he put it – Szymon Hołownia once again “is falling into turbulence of his own making” and “has caused problems.”
“It cannot be denied that Szymon Hołownia has once again caused us problems. It’s a bit of a shame, because he really should already move on from this political kindergarten to the main league. He is the leader of one of the parties. It’s clear that his dinners with Bielan and Kaczyński are harming him. The sooner he comes to his senses on these matters, the better for him and for all of us, because otherwise he will disappear from the political scene,” Biedroń said.
And he pressed further: “There are divisions in his party. Not everyone voted for the president’s project [12 abstained – editor’s note], this will harm him and he will disappear from the political scene if he doesn’t become a tough, strong leader and clearly pick a side.”
Bartosz Arłukowicz, MEP from Civic Platform, referred in turn to his social media post, stating that if someone “is confused about the role they play in the governing coalition, on what basis they entered the Sejm, on what basis the Third Way party caucus was built […] then perhaps they should choose a different path.”
“The coalition, in such a difficult political and geopolitical situation, including internally, requires us to be a united, well-coordinated team. […] I believe that those who have doubts about how to vote in such matters should make a decision – we are either on the side of the coalition, or on the side of the president,” he said.