Civic Coalition, Poland 2050, the Left, Polish People's Party and local mayors on Tuesday signed a declaration to enter a Senate pact ahead of this year's parliamentary elections. "The upcoming elections will be the most crucial since 1989," said Mayor of Gliwice Zygmunt Frankiewicz of "Yes! For Poland" movement.
Opposition circles held a press conference Tuesday in the Senate, at which they declared signing of a senate pact. Five representatives took part in the event: Civic Coalition MP Marcin Kierwiński, Poland 2050 Senator Jacek Bury, the Left MP Dariusz Wieczorek, Deputy Speaker of the Sejm Piotr Zgorzelski (Polish People's Party), and Mayor of Gliwice Zygmunt Frankiewicz ("Yes! For Poland").
"A senate pact has been created. This name stuck. City mayors have been the initiators, originators, and in a large part executors of this project. It were the local governments that engaged themselves in uniting the opposition. "The upcoming elections will be the most crucial since 1989. We are restoring the senate pact as a sound idea," Frankiewicz said at the press conference.
"We understand the gravity of these elections"
Marcin Kierwiński pointed out that "this pact is a commitment". "To putting forward one candidate each in every senatorial constituency. We understand the gravity of these elections. We know how much depends on us standing together in these elections, on our close cooperation in the Senate election," he underscored.
Dariusz Wieczorek agreed that "this is indeed a huge moment". "I believe that this document clearly expresses our commitment and sends a clear message to everyone that whoever is not walking with us, marches against us; that whoever is not walking with the democratic opposition, helps Law and Justice," he added.
"Democracy is strong with the power of its institutions. In the last seven years PiS has done really a lot to deprive the institutions - which not so long ago enjoyed respect - of the this very attribute which constituted its potential. Here I have in mind for instance the Constitutional Tribunal, but there is plenty of such institutions," said Piotr Zgorzelski. He added, however, that the ruling PiS party was not able to destroy the authority of the Senate
2019 Senate pact
The first senate pact was agreed between the main opposition parties - Civic Coalition, PSL, and the Left - ahead of the 2019 parliamentary elections.
Although the pact was not always respected, the united opposition managed to win the Senate election by a narrow margin. Law and Justice won the majority of seats in the lower house - the Sejm.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, PAP, TVN24
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: TVN24