Following the presidential elections, PSL is expected to chart an independent course, with Poland 2050 potentially fading as a distinct project. This prospect was voiced by PSL MP Jarosław Rzepa in an interview with PAP, signaling uncertainty about the long-term fate of the Third Way coalition. He cautioned that the immediate post-election period could redefine the party landscape, forcing the PSL to operate on its own while Poland 2050 might lose its formal status as a coalition partner and perhaps be remembered only as a chapter in the party’s recent history.
Rzepa was questioned by PAP about next year’s presidential elections, the Third Way candidate and the future of the PSL and Poland 2050 alliance. His remarks framed a broader reckoning about how the two political forces might proceed after a campaign that has, in his view, anchored them to a shared but fragile project.
He suggested that the Sejm speaker, who leads Poland 2050, Szymon Hołownia, is likely to be their presidential candidate, and that they would support him as part of a joint plan. Yet he warned that post-election reality could require accepting that PSL moves forward on its own and that Poland 2050 could disappear as a formal entity, potentially giving way to a new label such as Poland 2027. He expressed concern that the project might end by that time, casting doubt on the durability of the coalition beyond the immediate electoral horizon.
The MP from the People’s Party noted that after the presidential campaign, decisions will be taken on whether PSL and Polska 2050 will continue to operate as a coalition. The question of future cooperation will hinge on mutual commitment and a willingness to pursue shared goals, even after the luster of a joint candidacy fades from the political stage.
And honestly, he added, today he feels closer to the sense that everyone may choose their own path. The sentiment underscored a growing view that alignment on strategy may erode once electoral dynamics shift, and that each party might prioritize its own voter base and policy priorities going forward.
Rzepa also stressed that he does not see the partner’s determination to sustain the Third Way project, nor the belief that this project remains the best path forward for either party. He pointed out that PSL and Poland 2050 hold divergent views on numerous issues, a gap that could complicate future collaboration if not addressed with transparent dialogue and realistic compromises.
He recalled that the two groups were united by a common aim of winning the election, but likened their relationship to a marriage where both partners must want it and work at it. If only one side remains engaged, the effort is unlikely to endure in the long run. He emphasized that continued cooperation would require active, reciprocal commitment rather than one party carrying the load alone.
He urged both sides to reflect on their positions and persuade the other that continuing the joint project is worthwhile. Repeating the coalition could only be credible if it rested on the shared will and active participation of both PSL and Poland 2050, rather than on the actions of a single party alone.
The discussion around the future of the alliance has thus become a focal point in internal party debates, shaping how each side communicates with voters and frames its platform in the lead-up to future elections.
In February 2023, the leaders of PSL and Poland 2050, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and Szymon Hołownia, announced program cooperation. The two leaders then established a joint program team and outlined the development of a common list of issues to address. In April 2023, they announced the creation of an electoral coalition for the parliamentary elections. This coalition continued into local elections and the elections for the European Parliament this year, signaling a sustained effort to align their agendas across multiple levels of governance.
In the Sejm, coalition partners operate within two parliamentary clubs: PSL-Trzecia Droga and Polski 2050-Trzecia Droga.