The residents of Zabrze in the Sunday referendum decided to dismiss the city chairman Agnieszka Rupniewska. The referendum on the dismissal of the city council is invalid due to a too low presence – according to the data obtained by PAP at the Municipal Commission for the referendum.
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The result of the referendum means that the early elections of President Zabrze must take place.
The voting started at 7 am and it took to 21. Participants of the referendum received two cards – on one there was a question about the dismissal before the end of the office of Rupniewska, on the other hand – the city council.
Residents have rejected Rupniewska
116.9 thousand was entitled to vote. people. The referendum is important in the case of the president, because on Sunday more than 3/5 of the voters went to the urns, who participated in the elections in the second round in 2024. In her case, this threshold was 25.9 thousand. to vote. 29 207 valid votes were cast in the Sunday referendum, which means that the referendum was binding. 27,161 voters were in favor of the resignation of Rupniewska, 2 046 – against.
A referendum on the dismissal of the city council, around 29.6 thousand, were needed. to vote. In the meantime, according to the added data from all peripheral committees on Sunday 29 106, this issue was released, of which 26,551 voters voted in this way, and 2,555. In this case, the presence threshold of 3/5 voters was not reached.
Dissatisfaction of the inhabitants
The initiators of the referendum accused Rupniewska, including group exemptions in local government units, in local costs, dismissal in organizing cyclical cultural events and the long -term privatization process of Górnik Zabrze. Agnieszka Rupniewska defended himself against the allegations, which shows that it took over the city in a very bad financial situation and had to save that from bankruptcy.
Rupniewska won the local government elections in Zabrze in 2024 as a candidate KWW Civic Coalition. Although she started supporting De Ko, it is not from a political party. In the second round she received 57.85 percent votes. She defeated her long-lasting predecessor Małgorzata Mańka-Ssulik, who has managed the city since 2006.
Before won in the presidential election, Rupniewska spent a period in the Zabrze municipal council. In 2018 she also met in the second round of local elections with Mańka-Zulik, but then she lost 48.41 percent. to vote. She graduated from the faculty of rights and administration of the University of Silesia. Before she took office, she led a private industry company.
In 2024, the Civic Coalition won the most seats in the municipal council-11. Five fell for representatives of Better Zabrze Kamil żbikowski, and four law and justice and the Mańki-Ssulik Committee. One representative was introduced by the Zabrze Social Initiative.
Earlier in the province, Silesian two referendums were carried out, which ended with the resignation of the local government agencies. In 2009 the inhabitants rejected the president of Częstochowa Tadeusz Wrona, and in 2012 the president of Bytom Piotr Koło together with the city council.
In 2009, attempts were made in 2009 to dismiss the president of Gliwice Zygmunt Frankiewicz together with the city council, in 2012 the president of Ruda śląska Grażyna Dziedzic together with the city council, and in 2017 President of Bytom Damian Bartyla. In all three cases, the turnout during the referendum turned out to be too low.
Kk/dad
Source: wPolityce
Emma Matthew is a political analyst for “Social Bites”. With a keen understanding of the inner workings of government and a passion for politics, she provides insightful and informative coverage of the latest political developments.