The center-right agrarian PSL party announced on Saturday that centrist Hołownia, a former TV presenter, would be their candidate in next year’s elections.
Hołownia’s own party, Poland 2050, has a parliamentary electoral alliance with PSL, but they could have fielded different candidates for the presidency. Both parties are junior members of a broad coalition that governs Poland, under the leadership of prime minister Donald Tusk.
Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, who is PSL’s leader, as well as deputy prime minister and defense minister, said he was glad his party will campaign together with Hołownia ahead of the elections.
“We can proudly say that we have our candidate, one who isn’t just the candidate of one political grouping but is the candidate of many groups - but above all, he will be the candidate of all citizens,” he said.
Media personality Hołownia was the surprise package in the first round of Poland’s last presidential elections in 2020, where he came third with 14% of the vote. His political career, and his party, were built around the success of this campaign.
Thanking PSL leaders for their support, Hołownia said that he’ll take his campaign to people in smaller towns and villages across the country.
“To win presidential elections in Poland you must have the skills and talent to bring more than half of the population over to your side,” he said.
“Over half the country needs to feel sure that their candidate for president will keep them safe and ensure them a good life.”
Who will compete to be Poland’s next president?
Tusk’s center-right liberal Civic Coalition (KO), the largest political alliance in the governing coalition, has named Warsaw mayor Rafał Trzaskowski as its candidate.
The main opposition grouping - the right-wing conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party - is backing historian
Karol Nawrocki for the presidency, while
Sławomir Mentzen is running for the far-right Konfederacja alliance.
The Left, which is also a part of Tusk’s coalition government, is yet to announce its candidate.
Recent polling suggests that Trzaskowski is the favorite to win the elections, which are set to be held sometime in May.
The incumbent president, PiS-allied Andrzej Duda, will step down after serving two terms.
While the prime minister is regarded as the most powerful role in Polish politics, the president has significant say in foreign affairs and can also veto legislation passed by lawmakers in parliament.
