Opposition Voices Rally for Unified Campaign as Polls Highlight Joint List Advantage
Spokesperson for the Civic Platform, Jan Grabiec, warned leaders of rival opposition groups that voters would not forgive a split vote if the opposition failed to win the election due to the absence of a joint list. He spoke after a poll released that day by Gazeta Wyborcza suggested a sole chance of victory for the opposition lies in presenting a united front.
Asked on Radio Zet whether, following the Wyborcza poll, the Civic Platform would issue invitations to leaders of other opposition factions, Grabiec emphasized urgency. He argued there was no time for protracted talks, reiterating that decisive action was needed now. He framed the choice before partners as either a coordinated move or a missed opportunity.
Grabiec stated that preparations were already underway. If other opposition partners failed to commit, he said, every effort would be made to ensure the Civic Platform-Citizens Coalition list prevails at the polls.
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“Today is not a moment for grandstanding,” Grabiec added. He recalled that Civic Platform leader Donald Tusk has repeatedly said victory hinges on a joint list, noting that the simplest path to victory is unity.
“Today is not the hour for fuss,” he continued. “Voters will not forgive us if we delay.”
During a three-week stretch of nationwide meetings—over 500 discussions in cities large and small—Grabiec reported a clear message from attendees: victory is essential, and the specifics of the program can be negotiated later. He warned that failing to align could lead to the dissolution of some parties if a broad agreement does not emerge.
He added that, in his view, a single list remains preferable, even though all projections show the largest party bearing primary responsibility for delivering the coalition’s most seats. The aim, he said, is for the opposition to present a coherent platform that persuades voters to back a consolidated effort.
Grabiec underscored the importance of reaching an accord before Election Day. He questioned how a government could be built with a president from the opponent camp, a Constitutional Tribunal largely controlled by rival parties, and a mass opposition in the Sejm that might block reform. He warned that any attempt to postpone agreement would undermine voter confidence and could be seen as unreliable in the eyes of the electorate.
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In a separate report, Gazeta Wyborcza described the Long Table Forum Foundation’s initiative to explore the optimal arrangement for the democratic opposition should elections be held today. The Foundation funded around 90,000 PLN for a survey conducted by Kantar Public, with 4,000 respondents, each variant examined separately. Variant D focused on a joint list of KO, Nowoczesna (Left), Poland 2050, and PSL. In this scenario Donald Tusk, Szymon Hołownia, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Włodzimierz Czarzasty, and Robert Biedroń would command a majority in the Sejm—about 245 seats, or 50.9 percent support. Other configurations with two or more opposition blocs failed to reach a Sejm majority.
reviewers noted that the KO appears to be leveraging Gazeta Wyborcza’s poll to pressure other opposition parties into backing Donald Tusk, implying that noncompliance could threaten their political futures, a point stressed by several commentators.
tkwl/PAP/radiozet.pl
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Citation: wPolityce