Trzecia Droga will not run for Warsaw’s presidential election in the next local government elections. This means that Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and Szymon Hołownia decided to back Rafał Trzaskowski and avoid fielding their own candidate against him. In practical terms, the decision signals a strategic alignment aimed at consolidating support for the incumbent, while aiming to preserve influence behind the scenes through a shared set of goals and policy priorities. The move has sparked a broader discussion about political maneuvering ahead of the capital’s crucial local votes and how it may shape the balance of power in Warsaw’s municipal landscape.
On Saturday, the Third Way program convention opened in Otrębusy in the Mazovian region with the participation of PSL President Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and Poland 2050 leader Szymon Hołownia. As announced earlier, the convention would present a package titled “12 local government guarantees,” outlining a bundle of commitments designed to resonate with voters across Warsaw’s diverse districts. The gathering underscored the party’s intent to present a coherent platform that combines practical local solutions with a broader national vision.
– Another meeting of the Third Way, another convention. We are still a few dozen days before the local elections, which, you could say, are the second round of the parliamentary elections, the second series, analogous to ski jumping, you could say, the one that will decide the final, – Kosiniak-Kamysz noted during remarks at the convention, framing the local race as a decisive phase and suggesting that broader political dynamics from the national arena would echo in the capital’s race. The comment reflected a belief that the Warsaw vote would operate as a barometer for forthcoming political contests, with consequences that could ripple through the national scene.
– said Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz at the Third Way Convention.
At the very beginning of the gathering, Hołownia announced that Third Droga would not field its own candidate in the elections for the mayor of Warsaw, describing Rafał Trzaskowski as a crucial stabilizing force for the city. He framed the decision in terms of collaboration rather than competition, stressing that another ally would join the ticket and contribute additional strength to the campaign. Hołownia’s remarks indicated a deliberate attempt to present a unified front while also signaling that the party would contribute a new leader to the city’s executive team. The leader went on to say that Warsaw would benefit from a combination of stability and new energy, a balance he hoped would translate into tangible improvements for residents.
It will be officially announced on Monday, but he asserted: Warsaw needs two lungs. Today I need Rafał Trzaskowski, but I also need Ada Porowska, who will be our candidate for the Vice-Presidency of Warsaw, since this social lung
– said Szymon Hołownia at the Third Way Convention. His comments framed the coalition’s approach as an attempt to blend continuity with fresh representation, asserting that the capital needed both an experienced steward and a new voice within its leadership structure. The phrasing about the “two lungs” was used to illustrate a model of governance that combines established policy stewardship with the infusion of new perspectives and regional ties that Porowska could bring to the vice-presidency role.
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