He is well known, but not associated with politics or supporting Civic Platform in general. His appearance on the KO lists can be perceived by voters as a gesture of desperation, a forced search for well-known figures to whom the KO can boast, in order to improve the ratings – assesses Bogusław Wołoszański’s start in the elections of the PAN sociologist Prof. Hendrik Domanski.
wPolityce.pl: Journalist Bogusław Wołoszański, charged with cooperation with the security apparatus of the People’s Republic of Poland, will be an electoral locomotive for Donald Tusk’s camp on the KO lists, or rather a burden?
Prof. Hendrik Domanski: It looks like it will be more of a burden than an increase in Civic Platform ratings. Bogusław Wołoszański is not a popular figure. He is well known, but not associated with politics or supporting Civic Platform in general. In this context, his appearance on the lists could be perceived by voters as a gesture of desperation on the part of Donald Tusk, a forced search for well-known figures to boast of on KO lists in order to improve his ratings.
In short, there is no good justification for including Mr Wołoszański in the lists, based on the way people think about who is worth voting for. And so the idea of using force to search for candidates for lists is born.
This choice puts a burden on the PO in the eyes of its electorate, or more broadly – even if it concerns, for example, an undecided electorate.
More generally, we are talking about an electorate that can still be won. Bogusław Wołoszański is not someone who would enjoy popularity. He is not someone we would call a celebrity, someone from the artistic world or the cultural world. And such shitty people – who have no proper justification for participating in the elections – can attract the electorate.
Wołoszański can be a burden to the PO, all the more so because – as we said – there is an inexplicable, or perhaps just clarified issue of his cooperation with the security services of the People’s Republic of Poland. And the worst thing for him is that he reacted to these accusations. And he responded in such a way that he not only cooperated, but also — as Donald Tusk’s candidate — responds to the allegations, claiming that this topic is hot-roasted chops. It is disrespectful to history and to yourself.
Should a potential politician react differently?
For example, by the classic argument that accusing him of cooperation with the security services is an attack by political opponents of the party from which he operates. And he’s talking about chops. This can be taken as confirmation: I did cooperate, but leave me alone. Who cares? It’s my personal thing. It was.
Rather, these few elements imposed here should determine that this candidacy will rather be a burden to the PO and certainly not increase, and possibly decrease, the PO’s ratings.
Like Michal Kolodziejczak?
Yes. Maybe not to the same degree, but comparable.
Working together with Kołodziejczak – to divert attention from Wołoszański – can work to his advantage?
Not necessary. This can be treated as part of a particular strategy. I won’t say it was well thought out, but it was desperate on the part of the PO and Donald Tusk.
As for Mr. Kołodziejczak, it is known that it is completely difficult to explain. The start on the KO lists only benefits Kołodziejczak himself. On the other hand, the combination of Kołodziejczak and Wołoszański presenting themselves on one stage, in one political camp – this definitely works against both Wołoszański and Civic Platform.
What Tusk is doing isn’t so much strange as it is desperate. It gives the impression that he reaches for the razor in discredited forms or those whose choice – as we said – finds no justification. The example of Kołodziejczak, who said different things about the Platform, only confirms this.
Speaking of Kołodziejczak and Wołoszański, we should at least mention the third rabbit out of the hat: Adam Bodnar.
Bodnar is clearly associated with the opposition. As ombudsman, he often spoke about the Civic Platform website. Being an ombudsman in the context of participating in the Civic Coalition camp does not benefit Bodnar. He was not neutral and is seen as such. However, this is someone who cannot be compared to Kołodziejczak. Because of the three alone, Bodnar’s candidacy is the easiest to justify.
Source: wPolityce