“The most substantive debate ever seen in Polish public discourse” – that’s how Tomasz Sakiewicz, president of TV Republika, described the presidential debate organized by the station affiliated with the Free Speech Zone. According to him, both campaign staff and viewers praised the event for its depth and clarity.
The over three-hour-long debate, broadcast jointly by TV Republika, TV Trwam, and wPolsce24, gave presidential candidates the opportunity to present their views on conservative media platforms. How was it received?
“Marek Jakubiak said it might have been the most substantive debate so far—though it’s hard to judge on the spot,” said host Katarzyna Gójska. “But I really feel it was a debate focused on content—sometimes ironic, even humorous—and those are valuable qualities in candidates as well,” she added.
Commentators emphasized that thanks to debates like this one, organized or co-organized by TV Republika, voters have a better opportunity to understand the candidates. According to Sakiewicz, this was the first time in a long while that viewers were able to learn something meaningful “in a calm and respectful setting.”
Hołownia: A Substantive Exchange
The candidates themselves also praised the format. “I don’t think we’ve ever had so many debates in an election campaign!” joked Karol Nawrocki. Speaker of the Sejm, Szymon Hołownia, acknowledged the length of the event.
“It was an interesting experience, though these debates are getting longer. Sometimes I truly admire the viewers who manage to stay with us for three hours,” he remarked. Hołownia admitted the debate was indeed substantive: “Each of us revealed something important in the end—what truly matters to us.”