Why was President Jacek Jaśkowiak’s name missing from the list of 50 local government officials willing to run for the Sejm as part of the “Yes! For Poland?”. Jaśkowiak himself told about it in an extensive interview for “Gazeta Wyborcza”. He also said, about Kidawa-Błońska’s doomed candidacy in the presidential elections, ways to clear the air in Poznań and the local government faction in the next term of the Sejm.
“I feel better in Poznań”
Jacek Jaśkowiak, the mayor of Poznań since 2014, openly admits that he prefers a career as a local government official when asked if he can be on the Sejm’s PO list.
There is no more important goal to me than a change of power in the fall
– explains. At the same time, he admits that for this it is necessary to “combine different forces and environments”, “calm down negative emotions and not negotiate places on the lists”, so that there is no doubt that it concerns his party.
Each player must know his place on the field
– he says, seeing his place in the local government of Poznań and he himself admits in another interview that “his highlight” is the mayor of this city.
He lost to Kidawa, with Trzaskowski’s features, who went on to win the primary
Jaśkowiak was asked by “GW” why, in the absence of plans to leave Poznań in 2019, he took part in ext. primaries of the PO candidate for the presidency of Poland?
Schetyna showed me research that showed that Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska would have a big problem not so much winning the election as getting into the second round
— he concedes, adding that the above study shows that Rafał Trzaskowski, rather than Kidawa-Błońska, has a chance of winning against President Andrzej Duda. However, Trzaskowski was not interested in fighting for the presidency, but in fighting Schetyna for the leadership of the party. In turn, Jaśkowiak was for Schetyna a desirable competitor for Trzaskowski when it comes to presidential elections.
Jaśkowiak also explains the reasons for his high defeat in ext. presidential primaries with Kidawa-Błońska.
In the clash with Andrzej Duda, these characteristics (possessed by Kidawa-Błońska – editor’s note) were crucial. A different energy and aptitude was needed. Trzaskowski, who eventually became a candidate for the Civic Coalition, has them
– says the PO activist.
10 million votes thrown away
In an interview with “GW”, she returned to the topic of 10 million votes collected by Trzaskowski, which “were not intended to restore support for PO, but to lay the foundations for the Common Poland movement.” This capital – as the paper recalled – was wasted mainly as a result of Trzaskowski’s indecisiveness. It was about an alliance of PO capabilities, then Nowoczesna and the left centered around Barbara Nowacka.
In light of these allegations, Jaśkowiak defended Trzaskowski, among other things, as “the mayor of Warsaw with many city responsibilities.” However, he admitted that “expectations and hopes for something new” were not met by divisions in the opposition.
The Return of the “Tiger, i.e. Tusk”
Jaśkowiak softened his own criticism of the inability to create a strong movement of common Poland by saying that the “perhaps unplanned” result was “the awakening of the tiger, i.e. Tusk” in July 2021. But even in this case, it did Jaśkowiak did not hide that when “a wago player entered the super heavyweight political ring” – it caused disputes, tensions and sparks on the platform, which saw Trzaskowski as the leader.
How does Jaśkowiak explain these disputes?
In large organizations there has to be someone who is in charge, someone who gives direction to the whole team. The ability to subordinate and teamwork is important. […] Negotiating positions, setting conditions apart from reality, dividing a bear’s skin doesn’t make it any easier for us
– admits the president of Poznań in the magazine “GW”.
The main goal now should be – and is for me – to change power, not to satisfy anyone else’s aspirations, including my own.”
he adds.
What about the Poznań presidency?
In the interview, Jaśkowiak was also asked whether, if he does not run for the Sejm in 2023, he will be up for re-election in Poznań in 2024.
When I started in 2014, I promised the people of Poznań that I would serve two terms. The second is about to end
— he recalls, suggesting he’s considering getting back to work.
When “GW” reminded Jaśkowiak that urban movements nicknamed him a lumberjack for cutting down trees during investments and renovations, he assured that “the number of trees in the city is growing, not falling”. He also suggested that it was more important than trees to reduce carbon emissions by “encouraging people to leave their cars at home and travel by public transport, bicycle or on foot”.
Self-government in the Sejm?
Another topic discussed in “GW” was the future presence of “50-list” local government officials in the Sejm. The paper confirmed the possibility of a local government faction with local goals in the parliament of the next legislature, which do not necessarily correspond to the goals of the opposition parties, as well as the aspirations of some well-known local government officials who threaten the PO with an independent start.
Such factions, including those of the local government, would not be good for Poland. If he takes power after PiS (Tusk – editorial note) he must have a majority in the Sejm he controls. There can be no quarrel”
– admits Jaśkowiak, adding that you need to rely on people “ready to compromise […] able to play as a team, not industry doctrinaires or showmen who focus on events and social media.
The mayor of Poznań also called on local government officials to work together to win the election, “and here it is crucial to build strong electoral lists, where the main criterion should be the number of votes a given candidate could possibly get. can achieve. win.”
OP also has ears
Although Jaśkowiak appealed to local government officials, he did not hide that they are not the only ones who are not saints.
The parties also have a lot behind their ears. It is enough to move to Poland – it is no coincidence that so many local government officials who used to be in the PO are now outside the party. They talk for a while and they seem to be having a fight because the local party apparatus wanted to furnish their office. […] Some local PO activists have had enough of me too, pouring slop on internal groups. There is a thin line between ordinary disputes and arguments and hatred that goes nowhere
– he concludes, evaluating the current political scene in Poland.
These words will certainly not please Donald Tusk and company. Because how can we speak of a takeover of power when a local government official associated with the opposition denounces the mistakes of political parties by mentioning the name PO?
rdm/”GW”
Source: wPolityce