TVP in liquidation, a setup by Rafał Trzaskowski’s campaign staff and… a major failure. A year has passed since the events surrounding the debate in Końskie. “It was meant to be a political show staged for one candidate, but it became a symbol of how detached the elites are from the Poland in which ordinary people live. That day, the myth of their omnipotence was shattered”, recalled the Head of the Chancellery of the President of Poland, Paweł Szefernaker. TV Republika played a major role in thwarting the plans of Trzaskowski and the public broadcaster. It was the debate held in the Końskie town square that showed what a substantive electoral discussion should look like.
The election campaign ahead of the 2025 presidential election was full of noteworthy moments. One of them was undoubtedly the presidential debates. And it all began exactly one year ago – on April 11, 2025 – in Końskie. Because, as the well-known saying goes, “elections are won in Końskie”.
TVP in liquidation came up with the idea of breaking the rules of the electoral game by inviting only two candidates – Rafał Trzaskowski and Karol Nawrocki – to a debate before the first round. Importantly, the “debate” was… an event organized by Trzaskowski’s campaign staff, which in itself indicated an uneven playing field. The plan of the government broadcaster failed, however, when TV Republika stepped in.
The station belonging to the Free Speech Zone organized its own debate that same day in the Końskie town square, inviting all candidates. Five attended – Karol Nawrocki, Marek Jakubiak, Krzysztof Stanowski, Joanna Senyszyn and Szymon Hołownia – and during the substantive discussion, all agreed to go together to Trzaskowski’s event to challenge him publicly. TVP in liquidation had no choice – it had to allow all candidates who arrived at the program to take part. To this day, however, public media have not dispelled doubts about their role in Trzaskowski’s event in Końskie.
Szefernaker: “That day, the myth of their omnipotence was shattered”
The anniversary of the events in Końskie was recalled by the Head of the Chancellery of the President of Poland, Paweł Szefernaker.
“Exactly one year ago, on April 11, 2025, the debate in Końskie exposed the weakness of the political-media system of Civic Platform (KO). It was supposed to be a political show staged for one candidate, but it became a symbol of how detached the elites are from the Poland in which ordinary people live. That day, the myth of their omnipotence was shattered. What remained was arrogance and frustration. And it was precisely then that a new chapter opened on the path to Karol Nawrocki’s victory. I thank everyone who was with us then and supported Karol Nawrocki!”, Szefernaker wrote.
Let’s relive it once again! See photos from the TV Republika debate in Końskie, exactly one year ago. The photos were taken by Tomasz Jędrzejowski.