Kraków mayoral election candidates face legal battles

The second round of the extraordinary mayoral election in Kraków, scheduled for October 11, 2026, is marked by intense legal disputes between candidates Łukasz Gibała and Monika Piątkowska.

Court rulings have already forced Piątkowska to issue corrections regarding Gibała’s voting record in the city council. A new lawsuit has been filed by Gibała’s committee, seeking a correction regarding Piątkowska’s claims that he would implement mass layoffs in the city administration if elected. Gibała’s team argues these statements were intended to intimidate municipal employees.

In a separate political development, Deputy Prime Minister Radosław Sikorski faced criticism from Gibała’s camp after calling the candidate a “liar or mythomaniac” during a campaign event for Monika Piątkowska. Meanwhile, PiS candidate Michał Drewnicki has urged voters not to support Piątkowska, characterizing her as a candidate tied to central government interests.