The chairman of Poland's biggest opposition party - Civic Platform's (PO) Grzegorz Schetyna - announced on Friday that he wouldn't be running for re-election and recommended former Defense Minister Tomasz Siemoniak as his replacement. "I'm closing a stage after which PO is in much better condition than it was in 2015 and 2016," Schetyna said.
Schetyna has summed up his tenure as PO chairman and thanked party members for joint efforts. He also reminded that chairman election has been scheduled for January 25th.
"The end of one tenure marks the beginning of another one and I would just like to say that after four years of hard work I'm leaving PO, I'm closing a stage after which PO is in much better condition than it was in 2015 and 2016. The time has come for new challenges, new people, new beginning, new chapter," said the outgoing leader of Civic Platform.
"The best candidate to stand at the helm of a huge project, the most important project for PO, in the coming 2020-2024 term, would be Tomasz Siemoniak," Schetyna added and vowed his support for Siemoniak in the upcoming chairman election.
He added that "it's time to start opening to new people, new groups".
Siemoniak said that he had decided to run for PO chairmanship because he has been in the party since its foundation.
"I've decided to run because I think my experience, determination, energy (...) speak in favour of my candidacy," Siemoniak said.
"Civic Platform needs new energy, new power. I would like PO to be also present at county level, regional level," he added.
Autor: gf / Źródło: TVN24 News in English, PAP
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: tvn24