A high-stakes moment looms over these elections, as PiS president Jarosław Kaczyński stressed. Power can be used for good when aligned with local government, a track record the party points to from the past eight years. He urged voters to reject the current administration and to issue a clear yellow and red card as a signal of disapproval.
“There is a lot of power at stake in these elections.”
Speaking at the party congress in Krakow ahead of Poland’s local government elections, Kaczyński framed local authorities as an integral part of the state framework, reflecting Poland’s constitutional structure. He highlighted that local government wields substantial influence—more than many peers in the European Union—while noting that this power can be directed toward constructive ends, including local reforms.
He warned that with extensive authority comes the risk of misuse. Opponents, he argued, constantly challenge the constitution, defy laws, and endure practices that democratic societies should resist. Yet power can be channeled toward positive outcomes, as the eight-year record demonstrates, especially in empowering local governments to implement components of the PiS program.
“It is very important,” the PiS leader stated, underscoring that cooperation across different levels of government makes it possible to realize parts of the party’s agenda at the local scale.
– emphasized the party leader.
He described the upcoming vote as an opportunity to send a serious warning to the government and to rethink the direction of policy. Voters were urged to move away from night-time governance toward policies that address the broader needs of society and to remember that democracy should be about accountability, not manipulation.
According to Kaczyński, democratic relations depend on those who pursue power, promise reforms, and then deliver. He warned that persuasive-sounding offers may conceal deceit, and he argued that the reckoning comes when promises fall short and trust is broken, yet the public still observes the consequences of those actions and their governance choices.
He questioned the effectiveness of opposition strategies, asking where the so-called “100 peculiarities” fit in beyond opposing the government. He insisted that there should be a firm rejection of this administration, describing it as deserving of a yellow-red card rather than a full red card at this stage.
“Only at the next elections can a red card be shown. For now, a yellow card with a red stripe can serve as a warning,” he stated, signaling a staged approach to political accountability in the contest of ideas and leadership.
The Krakow convention also touched on broader themes about governance and accountability, with the party presenting local authority as a key arena for reform and public service. The rhetoric positioned local government as a practical engine for delivering programs that affect daily life, while warning against policies that run counter to law, constitutional norms, and the needs of ordinary citizens.
Overall, the message framed disciplined, transparent leadership as essential and reminded that democratic legitimacy rests on real results and trustworthy governance. In a landscape where voters seek clarity and responsibility, the emphasis on local empowerment and accountability aims to resonate with audiences across North America as a comparative reference for how local government can serve communities.
This summary of events reflects coverage from Polish political reporting and seeks to illuminate how local power and constitutional norms intersect in the voting decisions ahead. It remains a point of reference for readers in Canada and the United States who follow comparative governance discussions and democratic processes in other nations [Citation: Polish political reporting, context for comparative governance].