Management structures in Warsaw
A candidate for Warsaw mayor from Law and Justice, Tobiasz Bocheński, announced on a recent Saturday that a future administration would trim the number of proxies for the city’s leadership. He asserted that Warsaw should not display a facade of governance through distant figures.
Speaking at a press event on Saturday, Bocheński argued that the city’s development has stalled and placed responsibility on City Hall, describing it as a tangled knot. He remarked that in practice he often ends up on the sidelines or without meaningful support.
This is a sprawling system, he noted, with unclear lines of accountability and responsibility, creating confusion about who handles which tasks.
Bocheński highlighted that Warsaw City Hall comprises around 1,500 departments, offices, legal entities, and units, many of which perform overlapping duties. In various districts, during different investments, revitalization projects, and social programs, it can be unclear which official is accountable. Residents may feel as though they are bouncing from one window to another, unsure where to call or whom to contact for a given issue, he claimed.
The PiS candidate also mentioned that the city officially has a president, several vice-presidents, 18 mayors, and numerous deputy mayors, culminating in a large, costly structure. He stressed that the goal is not to dismiss civil servants but to unleash their potential, retain capable new staff, and create a professional, apolitical operating environment. He argued for a modern, clearly defined framework that makes responsibilities obvious to residents.
According to Bocheński, the objective is to reform the city’s administration so that it serves Warsaw’s people efficiently, rather than acting as a shelter for politicians who have not built a track record in elections. The focus should be a neutral, professional office that is open to public oversight and easier for residents to navigate.
Plenipotentiaries of the President of the Capital
The candidate also asserted that the mayor not only wields numerous departments but also holds powers through several plenipotentiaries. He warned that real city governance relies on direct actions that address residents’ needs rather than proxies who assume official duties without clear accountability.
He stated that if elected, the number of proxies would be reduced and the practice of facade management would cease in Warsaw. Among those he identified as candidates for elimination were the plenipotentiary for the Vistula, the development of the rail network, and the coordination of investments and road renovations.
What is the role of a president, he asked? A city leader should have a strategy for how tasks are run and delivered to residents, he continued, arguing that the post of plenipotentiary for the city’s development strategy is unnecessary.
He argued that there should be a full-time host for the city’s administration. It should not be acceptable for proxies, directors, deputy directors, and multiple vice presidents to occupy positions that add little value. The administration ought to be efficient, contemporary, and—above all—transparent to Warsaw’s residents. A reform would be implemented to ensure the city can meet future challenges.
Local government elections
The municipal elections are scheduled for Sunday, April 7, with a possible second round for direct elections for municipal heads, mayors, and city presidents on April 21. In addition to Bocheński, the field includes the current capital mayor, Rafał Trzaskowski, who stands as the candidate of the Coalition Election Committee of the Civic Coalition; Magdalena Biejat, nominee of the Coalition Election Committee of Left and Urban Movements; Przemysław Wipler, candidate from the Janusz Korwin-Mikke coalition, the Confederation, and the Non-Partisan Local Government Committee; Niepartyjni, and Romuald Starosielec, candidate for the Ruch Repair Polski Committee.
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—An examination of local governance dynamics and calls for accountability
These perspectives reflect a broader debate about how Warsaw should be governed and how to ensure public resources are used effectively for residents’ needs. The forthcoming elections will determine the approach to administration, accountability, and service delivery across the capital.