An unusual sequence of events has put a Civic Platform politician, Włodzimierz Karpiński, in the spotlight. Due to a tangled and somewhat extraordinary situation, he could become a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) through a temporary vacancy. The case unfolds amid ongoing debates about succession rules and parliamentary ethics in Poland’s political landscape.
If Krzysztof Hetman, an MEP representing the Polish People’s Party, is granted a new parliamentary mandate in constituency No. 6, he would be required to resign his seat in the European Parliament in order to take up the national role. This hypothetical swap sets into motion a chain of potential succession steps inside the Polish and European legislative systems.
Under the electoral framework, Hetman’s European Parliament mandate would initially be filled by Joanna Mucha of the Civic Platform. Mucha finished behind Hetman in the most recent European elections, and the rules anticipate her stepping into the European seat should Hetman vacate it. Yet her current campaign for the Sejm means that if she wins, her Brussels departure would not occur, altering the expected sequence of accessions.
From an electoral logic perspective, this interim vacancy would, in theory, be attributed to Riad Haidar of the Civic Coalition. However, Haidar passed away on May 25, 2023, paving the way for the next in line to assume the temporary role in Brussels.
That successor would be Włodzimierz Karpiński, a figure with a long record in public service. A former Minister of Finance during Donald Tusk’s administration and a former chair of the MPO at Warsaw City Hall, Karpiński faces arrest by the Central Anticorruption Bureau (CBA) in connection with a corruption investigation related to a controversy often described as the “garbage scandal.” He acknowledged involvement in the case, which has been a focal point of legal and political scrutiny in recent years.
Alongside Karpiński, the investigation centers on allegations that he and Rafał Baniak helped arrange contracts valued at roughly PLN 600 million, with the parties said to have acted with foreknowledge of the terms. The implications touch on the integrity of public procurement and the influence of political figures in major city contracts.
Should Hetman and Mucha choose to resign their European seats to pursue roles in the Polish Sejm, Karpiński, who is currently in custody, would need to petition the court to take an oath of office. Successfully doing so would trigger the immunities and formalities that accompany a parliamentary oath, potentially opening the path to a seat in the Sejm via political maneuvering and legal processes.
The evolving sequence illustrates how national and European parliamentary rules interlock in complex ways. It highlights the delicate balance between electoral law, party strategy, and legal accountability in a political system that emphasizes the separation of powers, accountability, and transparent representation for voters in Poland and beyond.
As Polish voters and political observers watch these developments, the central questions remain: who ultimately occupies each vacancy, how do parties weigh strategic advantage against legal constraints, and what does this mean for governance, oversight, and public trust in the European and national legislatures?