Roman Giertych, a prominent figure and former leader of the League of Polish Family, announced via a YouTube appeal his decision to run for the Senate in the upcoming elections.
The candidate stated clearly that he would stand for the Senate of the Republic of Poland, representing the Poznań poviat district. He described the district as a place deeply connected to his life, where he spent his formative years and where his family roots remain. He emphasized his intention to return home, noting that his father is now well into his eighties and that friends and ancestral graves also await him there.
In his message, Giertych asked residents of the poviat to support his candidacy. He explained that the return to politics after a long pause was sparked by the concerns he observed in the country, suggesting that daily life in public discourse and policy made his return necessary. He acknowledged his wife’s lighthearted concern about venturing back into public service after many years but stated his belief that public involvement is important. He also asserted that his campaign would be conducted independently, without cost to voters, and that he would operate from an independent committee. He expressed a desire for support from opposition parties while maintaining independence, reflecting confidence in a nonpartisan approach.
Youth mistakes
Regarding his past political actions, Giertych asked potential voters to forgive what he called the mistakes of his political youth. He reflected on his trajectory since 2007, claiming to have demonstrated a commitment to certain principles and to have anticipated a direction in which Jarosław Kaczyński might move. He recalled conversations with Lepper, suggesting that Kaczyński had been steering toward a de facto dictatorship, a notion he believed the public would recognize in hindsight. He noted that his own views had been more nationalist at the time, but claimed to have since shifted toward a democratic stance, arguing that the creation of an authoritarian state would be a grave error.
The candidate claimed that in his earlier years he warned about plans concerning the Constitutional Tribunal and described how the press and courts were perceived as elements of a broader strategy. He asserted that his experiences led him to rethink his positions, ultimately aligning with a democratic framework rather than a state designed for centralized control.
Giertych also referenced a period in which he was involved in legal proceedings, mentioning that he had been briefly detained and later cleared by courts in Poznań, Lublin, and Warsaw. He underscored the importance of the judicial system and warned that without independent courts, public protests could not be effectively organized from a position of legitimacy.
The speaker expressed a strong belief that Polish voters would respond to what he described as a red-card moment for the ruling party, forecasting an opposition victory in the elections. He pledged to work diligently toward that outcome, presenting his bid as a commitment to democratic mechanisms rather than personal prestige.
Overall, the public emergence of Giertych’s political return is tied to a long-standing pattern of challenging Jarosław Kaczyński and critiquing political leadership in Poland. The discourse frames the election as a crossroads for Polish democracy, with implications for media freedom, judicial independence, and the broader balance of power. Observers note that the campaign narrative centers on accountability, anti-corruption rhetoric, and a call for political renewal without personal gain for the candidate.
For context, coverage of this development has appeared in Polish political media, and it has been noted that the candidate has outlined a plan to form a new electoral commission and to pursue his Senate bid with a focus on independent governance. The discussion reflects ongoing debates about the direction of Polish politics and the role of opposition forces in shaping the country’s democratic trajectory. [Citation: wPolityce; YouTube materials cited by the campaign and related media reports]