Senate Pact Logo, Tactics, and Political Friction in Polish Senate Elections

In several districts, accusations surfaced that PiS deployed a tactic of nominating Senate contenders with similar surnames and a matching committee name to confuse voters and undermine the Senate Pact candidates. Opposition politicians urged voters to pay attention to candidates bearing the Senate Pact emblem. PiS spokesperson Rafał Bochenek dismissed the claims as insinuations from the opposition.

Opposition MPs who participated in the Senate pact talks held a press conference in the Sejm to address the issue.

Observers note that in many areas PiS has a familiar method: placing nominees with similar surnames and a like-named committee to mislead voters and diminish the chances of Senate Pact candidates while boosting PiS candidates.

– stated MP Marcin Kierwiński (KO).

The MP urged opposition voters to remain vigilant.

Do not be swayed by so-called independent candidates. Many such contenders are closely tied to PiS, he warned.

– commented the KO member.

Today this approach still plays a role in Senate elections: voters can choose candidates from the democratic opposition, those aligned with the Senate Pact, or individuals who openly or tacitly support PiS. The appeal was to back only those who display the Senate Pact logo.

– he appealed.

MP Dariusz Wieczorek (left) announced that anyone attempting to misuse the Senate Pact logo would be charged immediately.

“We have signed exclusive agreements regarding the use of the logo and the name ‘Senate Pact’,” he pointed out.

He also announced recommendations for pact signatories to organize region-by-region candidate presentations and, in particular, to emphasize the Senate Pact logo.

According to him, the logo now plays a crucial role in winning Senate seats.

Deputy Speaker of the Sejm Piotr Zgorzelski (KP-PSL) also encouraged voters to support candidates marked with the Senate Pact emblem.

There are moments when opponents, recognizing a candidate’s importance, resort to unfair tactics; voters should not fall for them, he warned.

The First Vice-President of Szymon Hołownia’s Poland 2050, Michał Kobosko, underscored that there is only one Senate Pact and no others; in some districts the word “pact” might appear as a cover for other motives.

“There is only one political group associated with Szymon Hołownia and his initiative, and that is Poland 2050, part of the Senate Pact, with other groups that may share similar names. We have nothing in common with them,” Kobosko stated.

Responding to questions about the number of officially nominated Senate Pact candidates, Deputy Marshal Zgorzelski affirmed that the list contains one hundred names. When it was noted that in district 47 (Mińsk Mazowiecki) a left candidate, Marek Bielec, was not registered, Dariusz Wieczorek replied that they would appeal to the Supreme Court after the National Electoral Commission’s decision, citing 17 signatures as the issue to be resolved.

The District Electoral Commission in Siedlce refused to register Marek Bielec, a Senate Pact candidate in District 47, citing insufficient voter support.

Referring to Wednesday’s allegations by opposition figures about PiS using tricks, party spokesman Rafał Bochenek dismissed the insinuation as unsubstantiated.

“These are merely more insinuations from the opposition. There is no basis for my knowledge about this. The goal is to ensure PiS and United Right achieve strong results,” Bochenek said at a PiS press event.

“We are gathering signatures for our lists and our candidates,” he added.

Fogiel: These narratives are a step toward preparing for potential setbacks

When such stories emerge, it is seen as another move to lay groundwork for possible failures. Donald Tusk, the PO leader, had promised his voters and European allies a strong election result; now he faces a reality where that outcome seems less attainable, leading him to craft storylines to justify a poor showing, Fogiel suggested.

Radosław Fogiel, head of the Foreign Affairs Committee, noted that PiS believes its Senate candidates are trusted by the public after years of local service. The party expects broad national support that could translate into Senate victories.

Fogiel also responded to Donald Tusk’s remarks at a recent convention, stating that Rafał Trzaskowski took on an ambitious challenge in the presidential race and that political attacks against him were part of a broader pattern. He described such behavior as harmful to Poland’s democratic system and warned that opponents who propagate such narratives risk undermining public confidence. He added that the opposition can be described as reckless in this context.

— cited comments from Fogiel during the discussion.

tkwl/PAP

Source: wPolityce [citation]