Senate Pact draws lines as candidates considered for 2024 race
In a morning radio interview, Sławomir Neumann of the Civic Platform voiced a pragmatic stance: everyone not aligned with the Senate Pact should think carefully about their political start in light of the upcoming elections. The remark came as former education minister Roman Giertych, now a lawyer, floated a bid for the Senate from his Poznań district, signaling his intentions on social media and signaling reliance on opposition groups united under the Senate Pact framework.
Giertych, who served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Education from 2006 to 2007 and later led the League of Polish Families, has not been active in politics since 2007. He announced his plan to run under his own committee in the Poznań district, while also stating his expectation of support from opposition factions coordinating within the Senate Pact.
When queried about the possibility of a counter-candidacy by opposition forces in Giertych’s constituency, Neumann suggested that a candidate backed by the Senate Pact would be fielded there. He cautioned that he was not certain Giertych would even stand as a candidate, leaving room for last‑minute decisions and alliances to shift the landscape.
He added a note of caution about predicting personal outcomes at this stage, saying that a flood of applications had been flowing in lately and that many names were still in flux.
Senate pact and nothing else
Asked whether talks might push for Giertych to withdraw, the PO representative maintained a direct approach: conversations would be held with anyone outside the Senate pact to discuss their starting position in the race.
He forecast that the effort would involve several candidates—roughly a dozen or so—in the candidate pool.
Neumann acknowledged that persuasion does not always yield results, recalling that in the 2019 cycle some candidates who ran outside the pact could not be convinced to align with it.
By late February, representatives from the coalition parties KO, Poland 2050, Nowa Lewica, the Polish People’s Party (PSL), and the Local Government Movement “Yes! For Poland” had signed a declaration creating the so-called Senate Pact. The arrangement aims to avoid competing candidates between those parties in most senate districts and to submit joint candidates across constituencies. Allocations will reflect party polling standings and the likelihood of success in each district, with current opposition senators given priority in terms of eligibility under the pact, ensuring a coordinated approach in the Senate elections.
Additional context has emerged from party figures reflecting on strategy and potential realignments. Petru has asserted confidence in the pact, signaling ongoing reinforcement of the coalition. Miller has spoken about the need for dialogue with Giertych and has indicated that a direct conversation is on the table to determine the path forward. In discussions about possible candidates, some outlets noted unusual possibilities, including suggestions that a former PiS senator might be considered within the opposition’s broader strategy.
Overall, the pact represents a deliberate effort to optimize seat allocations across the opposition and to minimize intra-coalition competition in the Senate elections. The focus remains on presenting unified candidates where viable and maintaining flexibility where necessary, so long as the overarching aim of coordinated opposition success persists.
Source: wPolityce