Hołownia comes across as an educated young thinker who prepared his answers, yet it remains unclear whether he truly read the material. That impression could fade quickly, according to Antoni Trzmiel in Salon Dziennikarski. Alongside Jacek Karnowski, Trzmiel, Teresa Bochwic, Marek Formela and Piotr Semka evaluated the early days of Szymon Hołownia serving as President of the Sejm.
Democracy as Hołownia sees it
Marek Formela, editor in chief of Gazeta Gdańska, criticized Hołownia’s communication style during his meeting with President Andrzej Duda. There was a sense that Hołownia leaned toward the president, signaling a need for a strong government. The view was that the President has a legitimate role in guiding the opposition, clarifying constitutional rules, and showing how the opposition must operate even when it feels numerically strong. The discussion suggested that democracy requires the majority to respect minority rights, and the first vote in the Sejm highlighted a commitment to those rights. A clear distinction was drawn between words and actions, with the opposition accused of acting against parliamentary norms while seeking power.
– said Marek Formela.
A well prepared student image
Antoni Trzmiel noted that the appointment of Szymon Hołownia as Chairman of the Sejm appeared to be a move orchestrated by Civic Platform. Donald Tusk was described as using Hołownia to advance his own agenda, with Hołownia rising to second in the state on the oath day. That ascent was seen as both a privilege and a responsibility. While it was evident that Hołownia prepared for the role, the agenda suggested that taking responsibility for national life would require more than a polished performance. Hołownia seemed to join the office as part of a coalition effort to gain media traction and deliver speeches. The concern raised was that no substantive solutions for the life of the state and its citizens had been heard.
– said Bumblebee.
Regarding the barriers around the Sejm that Hołownia claimed were removed, TVP’s journalist noted that the barriers disappeared because the attackers who breached the Sejm had already taken control. Eight stars were visible in the area, a reminder of past aggression. While the journalist personally disliked the barriers, he viewed them as a consequence of events from seven years prior.
Voters of PiS are seen as taking a different path than Hołownia intends. Hołownia is framed as a rival to Trzaskowski, losing that position due to the existence of an alternative. There were rumors that this reflected Tusk’s plan. Hołownia was described as an educated student who prepared his answers but whose reading could be uncertain, a factor that might wear thin quickly.
– emphasized Antoni Trzmiel.
New quality, according to the opposition
Teresa Bochwic, a publicist and former deputy head of the National Broadcasting Council, asserted that Hołownia is a well-educated media figure who commands precise movements and voice control. Yet when his words were examined, he criticized the president. He asserted that he must obey the law and uphold the Constitution, then reiterated that the president had promised this would happen.
– said Teresa Bochwic.
Piotr Semka, another publicist, warned that this could mark an Orwellian approach to talking about a new quality. He pointed to the first sign of retaliation, the dismissal of Elżbieta Witek. The notion of declaring affection while being pushed aside was described as a familiar trick from Hołownia’s period between leaving TVN and entering politics, a time when he aided an African orphanage and joined debates with the tactic of listening to others while keeping focus on his own concerns about the country’s problems.
– remembered Piotr Semka.
The publicist described Hołownia as an excellent actor who has learned many roles, though sometimes he strays from the expected path.
Hołownia was critiqued for playing his part convincingly, including his rhetoric about the Constitution. He was seen as one of the few young politicians who could connect with a generation beyond the typical political mold, and the question remained how far his appetite would go.
– said Piotr Semka.
Karpiński’s move to the European Parliament
The discussion also touched on Włodzimierz Karpiński. Hołownia announced that he had issued documents assigning priority for a European Parliament mandate to three individuals. Karpiński, a former Warsaw city hall secretary and earlier government minister from the PO-PSL era, had recently been released from a detention center linked to a waste management case in Warsaw. He had been on the European Coalition list for the 2019 European Parliament elections but did not win a seat. Krzysztof Hetman now holds a seat in the Sejm and has become a MEP from that slate. Joanna Mucha had been poised to join the European Parliament under Hetman, but she was elected to the Polish parliament instead. If Karpiński were to sit in the European Parliament, he would be next in line after Riad Haidar, who died in May this year, which would move Karpiński to the EP seat.
Teresa Bochwic admitted disappointment with the slow pace of investigations at prosecutors’ offices, remarking that such processes need not drag on for a long time.
Antoni Trzmiel pointed to Spain as a parallel, noting that similar situations had occurred there and that this instance did not involve Hołownia going to the European Parliament. He also touched on Eva Kaili, underscoring that Karpiński’s potential seat in Brussels would place Poland in a difficult position regarding rule of law. The potential release and move to Brussels were highlighted as a significant development, with Karpiński seen as representing Poland there.
– Trzmiel emphasized, adding that this hinted at a political trap for Hołownia and suggested a weak negotiating stance by Tusk when it came to broader political maneuvering.
According to Marek Formela, the entire situation poses challenges for Szymon Hołownia both socially and politically. The absence of a robust response from the PO surprised observers, and there is a perception of direct promotion with no clear distancing from Karpiński. The comments from Teresa Bochwic were echoed by Formela, describing the dilemma as a difficult one for Hołownia to navigate.
– Added Formela.
Read also: Hołownia on the PiS government announcement, a lighthearted take on political narratives; a critical view on the optics of media portrayal; questions about Karpiński and immunity remain unsettled. Hołownia’s reaction to questions about Karpiński was described as a political stunt by some observers, who warned against turning serious issues into theatrical moments. The discussion wrapped with a reminder that the matter continues to unfold.
Source: wPolityce