The Local Government Movement Yes! For Poland is advancing a platform aimed at restoring financial stability to local authorities, ensuring fair treatment for communities, rebuilding the education system, and making prudent use of European Union funds. On Monday, leaders from opposition parties lent their support in Gliwice, underscoring a shared commitment to these goals.
A press conference gathered delegates from across Poland’s local government movement, with notable attendees including Deputy Marshals of the Sejm Włodzimierz Czarzasty (New Left) and Piotr Zgorzelski (PSL), along with Borys Budka, head of the Civic Coalition parliamentary club, and Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, president of PSL. It was announced that Michał Kobosko, Vice President of Poland 2050, would participate in the program conference.
The discussion emphasized the importance of forming a structure capable of rallying the Polish opposition, while acknowledging the challenge of gathering the entire bloc in one place. – said Deputy Marshal Czarzasty. – The principle of self-government should be a natural expectation for the left and for all genuine opposition parties, he added, highlighting the initiatives promoted by the movement.
Kosiniak-Kamysz also thanked local government officials and stressed that the move demonstrates the capacity of the opposition to work together. We are grateful for the support given to electoral commissions preparing for the forthcoming elections. He stressed that freedom cannot exist without self-government and that victory depends on the active involvement of local leaders, inviting broad participation in the process.
The PSL leader outlined the priorities: we support changes in education, the financial stability of local governments, a new law on local government financing, reimbursement of VAT on investments, and participation in VAT for communities. He listed these as essential elements of a broader plan.
There will be no strong republic without a robust sense of homeland. The stance reflects a deep linkage to self-government, local communities, and the concept of a small homeland woven into the national fabric, the movement’s leadership asserted.
Borys Budka, president of the Civic Coalition parliamentary club, underscored that local government has long stood as a pillar of KO’s public mission. Local governance connects people and represents a common ground worth highlighting, he said. The focus on stable local revenue, clear rules, and reliable education remains central, and trust—expressed through daily votes for councilors, mayors, and other local leaders—was highlighted as a fundamental driver of progress.
The Civic Platform and the Civic Coalition reiterated their commitment to stand with local governments, supporting stable revenue streams and the residents’ trust that local officials cultivate every day.
Senator KO and former Gliwice president Zygmunt Frankiewicz recalled last year’s agreement among four opposition parties that set forth a decentralization and strengthening of local governments. He warned that the local government situation could become more fragile as parliamentary elections approach and called for a rapid, concrete recovery plan to safeguard local autonomy against shifting central policies. He stressed the need for opposition programs to be coherent to enable swift restoration of local governance.
A year earlier, on May 25, the leaders of four opposition parties — PO, PSL, Left, and Poland 2050 — signed a declaration advocating Yes! for Poland, focusing on decentralization and empowering local authorities, including stable funding and a dedicated fund for smaller municipalities.
Referencing that declaration, Jacek Karnowski, mayor of Sopot and head of the self-government movement, thanked the opposition for backing local government and for endorsing the subsidiarity principle. He added that the movement continues discussions with opposition leaders who recognize that democracy thrives when power rests with the smallest governing units, from rural and urban communities to municipal and provincial levels.
The press conference preceded the movement’s program meeting themed Together for Democracy, Together for Self-Government, which revisited local government postulates as part of a long-standing consultation process. The Gliwice event drew mayors, marshals, municipal heads, and councilors from across the country, all sharing ideas for stronger local governance.
Among the proposals discussed were the repair of the national school system, reinforcement of health care, better funding for public services, and safeguarding the independence of local authorities. Magdalena Czarzyńska-Jachim, deputy mayor of Sopot, highlighted calls to allocate 3 percent of GDP to an education subsidy, restore the dignity of the teaching profession, and establish a National Education Commission to develop a program for restoring Polish education.
Anna Jonczyk-Drzymała, deputy mayor of Lubliniec, pointed to the financial pressures faced by small towns in Poland, noting there are about 700 such communities that require stable financing and an adequate level of own revenue. Anna Jedynak, deputy marshal of Silesia, spoke about concerns regarding effective use of EU funds, including the non-mobilization of resources from the National Recovery Plan, ongoing rule of law disputes, and the need to raise own contributions to support EU projects.
Self-Government Movement Yes! For Poland was formed by more than 700 local government officials, including municipal heads, mayors, presidents, starosts, and marshals. Its core goals emphasize restoring full decentralization, enabling local decision-making, promoting pluralism in social life, encouraging public debate, and ensuring respect for both the state and the citizen at the local level.
gah/PAP
Source: wPolityce