Polish opposition and ruling camp announce candidates for ombudsman

Opposition leaders and Prof. Marcin Więcek at a conference in the Sejm

Civic Coalition, Polish People's Party and the Left announced on Thursday they would back Professor Marcin Wiącek as new Commissioner for Human Rights. Earlier that day, Deputy Speaker of the Sejm Ryszard Terlecki said the ruling PiS party would put forward independent senator Lidia Staroń as candidate for ombudsman.

Polish parliament has already failed four times to appoint a new Commissioner for Human Rights, who would replace Adam Bodnar. None of the candidates so far has received backing from both houses of the parliament. As a result, the Speaker of the Sejm Elżbieta Witek had announced another window for submitting candidates, which was closed on Thursday at 4 p.m.

Leaders of Civic Coalition, Poland 2050, PSL-Polish Coalition, and the Left organised a press conference on Thursday at which they announced that Professor Marcin Wiącek would be their joint candidate for Commissioner for Human Rights.

Professor Marcin Wiącek works in the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Warsaw. Since 2007, he is also an employee at the Supreme Administrative Court (NSA). Currently he is a chief specialist in the Judicial Decisions Bureau of the NSA.

Kosiniak-Kamysz said that Prof. Wiącek was a "non-political, non-partisan, academic candidate for Commissioner for Human Rights".

Earlier on Thursday, Deputy Speaker of the Sejm from PiS Ryszard Terlecki announced that his party would put forward independent senator Lidia Staroń for human rights commissioner.

Lidia Staroń spoke to journalists in the Sejm. "Am I a candidate? Let me put it this way, I'm ready to be one. Later we will all discuss this issue" - she said.

"I always discuss all issues with everyone. About laws, about legislation" - Staroń said. "I've made the decision, because I've been the people's spokesperson for 20 years. Only never an official one. People have been coming to me, asking for better possibilities, better mechanisms. That's why I've agreed (to run for commissioner)" - she explained.

Asked if she considered quitting as senator before the vote on her candidacy, she replied: "I'm an independent politician. I'm not a member of any party. First and foremost, I work for the people. The people are my party".