Why Jacek Jaśkowiak’s name dropped from the list of 50 local government officials eyeing the Sejm in a Yes for Poland effort
In a wide interview with Gazeta Wyborcza, Jacek Jaśkowiak, the longtime mayor of Poznań since 2014, explained why his name did not appear on the roster of local government figures willing to run for the Sejm under the Yes for Poland banner. He also touched on Kidawa-Błońska campaign dynamics, ways to ease tensions in Poznań, and the role of the local government bloc in the next term of the Sejm.
“I feel more at home in Poznań”
Jaśkowiak candidly states that a career in local administration is his preference when asked if he could join the Sejm’s Civic Platform list. His priority, he says, is something larger than a personal ambition: a change of ruling power in the autumn elections.
He notes that achieving this would require bringing together diverse forces and circles, cooling down heated emotions, and avoiding any hint of bargaining on the lists. The aim is to ensure his party remains clearly aligned with the electorate and not subject to doubt about loyalty or strategy.
Every player, he adds, must know their place on the field. He positions his own field as Poznań’s local governance and emphasizes that his own peak achievement would be serving as mayor of this city.
He lost to Kidawa and Trzaskowski emerged as the primary winner
Jaśkowiak was questioned by Gazeta Wyborcza about why, with no plans to leave Poznań in 2019, he participated in the PO presidential primaries. Schetyna presented research suggesting that Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska would face a difficult path to a second round, not just to win the election. The analysis indicated Rafał Trzaskowski had a stronger chance to beat President Andrzej Duda. Yet Trzaskowski did not pursue the presidency with zeal for the role itself but to contest Schetyna for party leadership. Jaśkowiak was viewed by Schetyna as a desirable foil for Trzaskowski in the presidential race.
Jaśkowiak also explains his strong showing in the presidential primaries against Kidawa-Błońska and notes that the different energy and aptitude needed to challenge Duda were crucial. Trzaskowski, who eventually led the Civic Coalition campaign, possessed those qualities, according to a PO activist.
Ten million votes squandered
In the interview series, Kidawa-Błońska revisits the topic of the ten million votes gathered by Trzaskowski, a vote bank not meant to restore support for the PO but to build a foundation for a broader Common Poland movement. Gazeta Wyborcza recalls that this capital was largely wasted due to Trzaskowski’s indecision, with a potential alliance involving PO, Nowoczesna, and the left around Barbara Nowacka failing to materialize. Jaśkowiak defended Trzaskowski, describing him as the mayor of Warsaw with extensive municipal responsibilities, while conceding that expectations for something new did not materialize because of divisions within the opposition.
The return of the tiger, meaning Tusk
Jaśkowiak softened his critique of the missed opportunity to form a strong cross-party movement by acknowledging what he termed the awakening of the tiger, referring to Donald Tusk, around July 2021. Even so, he admitted that when a heavyweight political player entered the arena, clashes and tensions surfaced within the platform, effectively elevating Trzaskowski to a leadership role in practice.
How does Jaśkowiak explain these tensions?
In large organizations someone must be in charge and provide direction to the team. The capacity to subordinate, to work as a team, matters. Negotiating positions and laying out conditions that do not reflect reality does not help anyone, he admits in the interview with Gazeta Wyborcza.
The main goal now, he stresses, is to change power rather than satisfy anyone else’s ambitions, including his own, and he reinforces this focus with a firm note that the aim remains a genuine shift in governance.
What about the Poznań presidency
The conversation touched on whether Jaśkowiak might run for the Sejm in 2023 and how that would affect his bid for re-election in Poznań in 2024. He recalls his pledge from 2014 to serve Poznań for two terms and suggests he might return to work in the city after the current term ends.
When Gazeta Wyborcza pressed him about the city’s tree policy and the perception that he cut down trees during renovations, Jaśkowiak argues that the number of trees in the city is growing. He adds that more important than trees alone is reducing carbon emissions by encouraging residents to leave cars at home in favor of public transport, cycling, or walking.
Self-government in the Sejm
The discussion also covered the possibility of a 50-member local government bloc in the Sejm. The paper speculated about the formation of a local-government faction in the next legislative term that would pursue local goals, not necessarily aligned with opposition parties, and the ambitions of some prominent local figures who might consider an independent run.
Such factions could be detrimental to the country, Jaśkowiak asserts, stressing that if power shifts away from the current ruling party, a majority in the Sejm must be secure. He emphasizes the need for compromise, teamwork, and a practical approach rather than doctrinaire positions or social media theater.
The Poznań mayor calls on local government officials to cooperate to win the election, insisting that lists should be built around the number of votes each candidate can realistically attract and win. He notes that a strong electoral slate is essential for success.
OP also has ears
Jaśkowiak does not shield local government officials from criticism. He observes that many officials who once belonged to the PO now operate outside the party, often trading barbs among themselves as internal party disagreements spill into public view. Some activists have grown tired of the internal noise and the strategic posturing that dominates ongoing disputes and social media battles.
He concludes that these truths will likely upset Donald Tusk and his allies. Discussing a power takeover while a local government figure tied to the opposition criticizes party mistakes is a sign of a turbulent political landscape in Poland.
rds and editors note
in Gazeta Wyborcza and related commentary from wPolityce