The Greens have not yet decided in which format they will start the elections – with the Civic Coalition, or maybe with Poland 2050 or with the Left. The decision was supposed to be made at the end of February, but it’s possible it won’t be made until Easter or even later, according to PAP’s talks with green politicians.
In 2019, the Greens participated in the European Parliament elections from the lists of the European Coalition, and in the parliamentary elections from the lists of the Civic Coalition. This second run earned them three parliamentary seats for the first time in the party’s history.
Currently Green MPs belong to the Civic Coalition club, but there are voices in the party about the need for talks with other potential coalition partners, especially as there is no chance of a single list of the entire opposition.
The Greens are looking for coalition partners
The party’s co-chair Urszula Zielińska told PAP in January that the Greens allow the start with both Poland 2050 and the left, and that the decision on the starting formula will be made at the end of February. Today you hear green politicians that the decision will come before Easter at the earliest, although even that is not certain – everything depends on potential coalition partners, who are not in a hurry to specify electoral offers.
Of course, it is most natural to start from the lists of the Civic Coalition, but if we have no alternative, the dominant platform in KO will only give us weak spots on the lists
– admits the Green politician in an interview with PAP.
That is why the leaders of the Greens are also talking to the Hołownia formation and the left. However, both solutions have their drawbacks, according to party members. Poland 2050, moving ever closer to an agreement with PSL, repels the Greens with their conservatism.
For us, the postulate of an abortion referendum is unacceptable, we are clearly in favor of full liberalization of the abortion law up to 12 weeks of pregnancy and this is our very important program postulate
says the green politician.
With PSL we would not agree on animal rights, although we have a lot of agreement on attitudes towards renewables or aversion to nuclear power plants
he adds.
The left is much closer to the Greens in terms of programme, but electoral pragmatics can be crucial here.
The left holds a grudge against the coalition after 2015 (then the coalition list of the United Left, also with the participation of the Greens, did not exceed the 8 percent threshold – PAP), so in their case we should agree to start from the party lists from the New Left. And that would mean that this formation would take all the money from the grant, and we wouldn’t get anything let alone our name, which wouldn’t show up anywhere
– a prominent Green politician tells PAP.
How many takers can the left offer us if its selection barely crosses the threshold
another adds.
Theoretically, an independent start-up can be considered.
In 2019 I was very much in favor of an independent start, but according to Polish electoral law this condemns the party to political oblivion, so political realism tells me to look for a coalition with a bigger partner
– says the Green politician to PAP.
Greens needed by Tusk
Everything indicates that the Greens will remain loyal to the KO, although they hope for favorable places on her lists.
We are needed in the Civic Coalition as its left wing. When young people at Donald Tusk’s rallies attack him, for example on climate issues, he always reminds that there are Greens in the Civic Coalition who are radically posing these issues
says the green politician.
And if young people with leftist views in a certain constituency have to choose between a Green candidate on the KO lists and, say, a former PZPR apparatchik on the Left lists, who will they choose?
asks another PAP interlocutor rhetorically.
kk/PAP
Source: wPolityce