Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski faces potential recall referendum

Efforts to organize a referendum to remove Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski from office are underway, with organizers facing a deadline of September 28 to collect the required 132,000 valid signatures. The group 'Stołeczna Operacja Referendalna' has reported collecting over 100,000 signatures, though experts note that many may be disqualified during verification.

Simultaneously, Warsaw City Hall has launched a widespread billboard and poster campaign titled ‘Warszawa się liczy’ (Warsaw Matters). The campaign highlights city improvements in areas such as education, transport, and air quality, using data from the 2025 State of the City Report. While the City Hall maintains the campaign is a routine presentation of municipal achievements, the timing has drawn scrutiny due to its overlap with the signature collection drive.

Political analysts suggest that if a referendum occurs, Trzaskowski could treat the vote as a plebiscite to strengthen his political legitimacy. However, experts warn that losing such a vote would be catastrophic for his political standing.