Szymon Hołownia will not become the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees – according to unofficial information from Radio Eska. The leader of Polska 2050 Party had been actively pursuing the position since September.
Hołownia Will Not Become the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
In September this year, the leader of Polska 2050 Party, Szymon Hołownia, announced that he had submitted an application in the public recruitment process launched by the UN secretary-general for the position of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. As he himself admitted, his chances “were not great”, the politician had been intensively lobbying for the post in recent weeks, seeking support, among others, directly from the secretary-general of the United Nations.
According to findings by Radio Eska and Super Express, the former Marshal of the Sejm will not be appointed to the position. The final decision belonged to António Guterres, who selects the person for this role – and it was this decision that dashed Hołownia’s plans to continue his professional career outside the Polish political scene.
At the same time, the deputy speaker of the Sejm has definitively withdrawn from seeking leadership of his party, Polska 2050 Party. According to information obtained by journalists from Radio Eska and Super Express, Minister of Funds Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz was said to have persuaded him to do so last weekend. In exchange, Hołownia is expected to support her candidacy in the election for the party’s new leader.
Those who have entered the race for the leadership include Minister of Climate Paulina Hennig-Kloska, MPs Joanna Mucha, Ryszard Petru and Rafał Kasprzyk, as well as MEP Michał Kobosko.
What Does the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Do?
Elected by the UN General Assembly for a five-year term, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is currently responsible for the protection of nearly 130 million forcibly displaced persons and stateless individuals worldwide. The term of the current UNHCR ends on 31 December 2025.