Speaker of the Sejm Szymon Hołownia has responded to insults hurled at him following his meeting with PiS politicians. He made two important announcements: he will swear in Karol Nawrocki and will step down from the Speaker’s position in the fall.
On Thursday, Sejm Speaker Szymon Hołownia visited the private apartment of Adam Bielan, a Member of the European Parliament representing Law and Justice (PiS). The meeting took place just before midnight in the Biały Kamień in Warsaw. Later, PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński also arrived at Bielan’s residence. And that’s when the storm broke out… Politicians from the ruling coalition and, most vocally, supporters of the Civic Coalition began to fiercely criticise the Speaker, calling him a traitor—or, in the case of Tomasz Lis, insulting him in coarse terms.
In a new social media post, Hołownia addressed the attacks against him from within the ruling coalition.
“So you want to tell me that yelling ‘and you for eight years’ from one side and ‘you, German coalition’ from the other somehow results in doing more, or putting more money in people’s wallets, or bringing peace to their hearts? Really? That’s OK?” he asked rhetorically.
Hołownia: There Are Points of Contact with the Opposition
The Speaker stated that he is part of the ruling coalition but wants to “invigorate” it and “restart hope.” He emphasised he is not planning a coalition with PiS, but…
“Talking to the opposition seems especially important now, when it’s necessary to determine whether—despite all the obvious differences—there are points of contact. Also what are the possibilities for cooperation with the opposition, including the new president, on issues critical for Poland such as the military, Ukraine, and relations with the U.S. These concern not only one side or the other but also the third Poland—the one that didn’t fit into either of those two ten million camps,” he wrote.
He added that the insults thrown at him have little effect.
“So I repeat: just as I speak with Tusk, Kosiniak-Kamysz, and Czarzasty, I have spoken and will continue to speak with Duda, Nawrocki, Kaczyński, and Błaszczak. That’s how I do things, and that’s how I will continue to do them,” the Speaker declared.
First the Swearing-In, Then the Resignation
And he added something noteworthy: “In the fall, I expect the political situation—under a new president—to be dynamic.” Could it be that the Speaker also foresees a major political shake-up in Poland, particularly within the ruling camp?
He also made two announcements—he will step down as Speaker of the Sejm in November, and before that, in June, he will carry out the swearing-in of Karol Nawrocki. “Despite calls for a coup,” he added.