Sylwia Gregorczyk‑Abram Named Poland's New Ombudsman

The Polish Sejm elected Sylwia Gregorczyk‑Abram as the new Rzecznik Praw Obywatelskich, receiving 233 votes against 177 for Adam Borowski. Her appointment now awaits Senate approval before she can replace incumbent Marcin Wiącek, whose five‑year term ends on 23 July.

Gregorczyk‑Abram is a lawyer and long‑time human‑rights activist. She co‑founded the "Free Courts" initiative, the Justice Defence Committee, and serves on the board of the Prof. Zbigniew Hołda Association. In May 2025 she led a Ministry of Justice commission investigating state repression of civil‑society organisations between 2015 and 2023. Adam Borowski is a former democratic opposition activist from the communist era, awarded the Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta and previously involved in aid to Chechen refugees.

Government‑aligned PiS members criticised the choice, labeling Gregorczyk‑Abram a "radically left‑wing activist" linked to discussions about public‑media takeovers. The vote reflects a partisan split in the parliament over the Ombudsman's future role.