Piotr Wielgus, an activist of urban movements and an expert in sustainable local development, announced his participation in the elections for the President of Toruń. The candidate spoke about the need for the city to regain an open, tolerant, diverse and European face.
During his presentation at the press conference, the candidate was supported by his wife Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, MP of the left, Deputy Minister of Culture and National Heritage.
Wielgus emphasized that now is the high time for dialogue, for urban democracy and for involving residents in decision-making processes. He emphasized that it is also high time for high-quality public services, for a clean, safe and well-maintained city, and for good governance. The candidate admitted that when he was asked to run for mayor, he didn’t think twice about it. He decided that this was a good time to focus on Toruń and devote all his time, energy and knowledge to it. He wants to use them for the development of the city.
Wielgus said that he decided to run so that Toruń could regain the face of an open, tolerant, diverse and European city, and that the city – in his opinion – needed changes and a new approach to governance. He added that the other candidates who participated in the campaign were the same people – the president, vice presidents and council members, and that none of them “guarantee left-wing values.”
He emphasized that Toruń needs modern municipal residential areas with rent-regulated apartments, instead of developers’ residential areas. According to him, the roofs of apartment complexes in the city should be covered with photovoltaic panels.
Wielgus also said that the city hospital should have a real geriatric department, that every residential area should have a health clinic and that every school should have a dentist and a psychologist. Among the issues to be addressed, he mentioned: free public transport for children and teenagers, trams to the left bank of the Vistula and construction of recreational paths. He assured that he would not dance on Radio Maryja’s birthday.
Attack on Rydzyk’s father
Scheuring-Wielgus emphasized that Toruń has been labeled a ‘Rydzyk’ city in Poland and that the left has not been represented in the city council for the past ten years. She pointed out that President Michał Zaleski had worked with PiS for the past eight years and that the city was ruled by conservatives. She emphasized that “in cities we need a right foot but also a left foot.”
The Co-Chairman of the Provincial Council of the New Left, Deputy Voivode of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Piotr Hemmerling, also took part in the conference. He assured that the left in the region is ready for the elections in terms of program and personnel.
During the conference, New Left candidates for the municipal council and the Provincial Council meeting were presented. Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. The leader of one of the lists for the municipal council is Piotr Wielgus, who is running for president, and the leaders of the other lists are Marian Frąckiewicz, Elżbieta Olszewska and Zofia Czerwińska. The list of candidates for the Toruń Regional Council will be opened by the co-chairman of the New Left in the region, Jacek Warczygłowa.
So far, apart from 71-year-old Michał Zaleski, who has governed Toruń since 2002 and is running for his own commission, the following people have also announced their participation in the race for the city’s mayor: Magdalena Noga from the Coalition of Urban Movements, Paweł Gulewski of the Civic Coalition, Vice President of the City Adrian Mól of PiS, councilor Bartosz Szymanski of the Active Club for Toruń and Maciej Cichowicz of the Confederation and Impartial Local Government. The candidate for the presidency of the I Love Toruń Committee is not yet known, but he may be the eighth candidate for the presidency of Toruń.
On Monday, Trzecia Droga will present his list for the municipal elections. The formation will most likely not field its own candidate for mayor of the city.
Disrupting the Holy Mass
In support of her husband’s candidacy, his wife, Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, shared the message on website X.
The spring sun was shining in Toruń and we announced letters to the Regional Council and the Municipal Council and presented the candidate for the Mayor of Toruń: Piotr Wielgus. I know him very well
It is worth recalling that the left candidate and his wife disrupted the Holy Mass. It was their protest against the decision of the Constitutional Court. A few days after the Constitutional Court ruling abolishing one of the conditions for the admissibility of abortion, Scheuring-Wielgus and her husband entered the Church of St. James the Apostle.
The couple stood with their backs to the altar and looked at the faithful, while together with their husbands they presented plates with the inscriptions: “Woman, you can decide for yourself” and “Women should have the right to decide whether or not want to give birth, not the state based on Catholic ideology.” She then turned to the altar, showed the sign to the priests celebrating Mass, then walked through the church to the exit, showed the sign to the faithful and left the temple.
READ ALSO: The Supreme Court overturned the termination of Scheuring-Wielgus’ husband’s case regarding the disruption of Holy Mass! What does the left-wing MP say about this? “The Fun Continues”
mly/PAP
Source: wPolityce