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Polish mayor recall referendums expand

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2026-09-30 12:41 UTC → 2026-09-30 20:13 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The wave of recall referendum initiatives in Poland has expanded to include new cities and corruption-related grievances. In Częstochowa, the ‘Czas na referendum’ committee announced it collected 19,000 signatures to recall Mayor Krzysztof Matyjaszczyk and the City Council, surpassing the required threshold. This movement follows a corruption scandal involving the arrest of the vice president and the chairman of the City Council, as well as charges against the mayor regarding the acceptance of financial benefits. In Tarnów, the ‘Ruch Zorro’ group, led by Rafał Kozioł, has submitted an application to the National Electoral Office to dismiss the city president and the City Council, citing unfulfilled election promises and failures to support professional sports. In Bielsko-Biała, local groups have announced potential actions to remove Mayor Jarosław Klimaszewski over disputes regarding municipal land, company management, and green spaces. In Mszana Dolna, residents are participating in dual referendums to decide on the removal of Mayor Mirosław Cichorz and the dismissal of the entire municipal council. In Piekoszów, opponents have begun collecting signatures to remove Mayor Teresa Jakubowska. Critics allege she neglects resident needs, ignores public opinion, and has implemented tax increases. Jakubowska has dismissed these claims as “baseless political maneuvers” and accused initiators of spreading misinformation. In Warsaw, the ‘Stołeczna Operacja Referendalna’ (SOR) initiative’s drive to remove Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski and the City Council has concluded without success. Despite a city-led ‘Warszawa się liczy’ campaign highlighting municipal achievements, the referendum effort failed to meet the required 132,000 valid signatures, collecting approximately 111,000. Following the failure, Trzaskowski stated the result indicates a majority of residents still trust his leadership. Comparing his political resilience to professional athletes, he described himself as a “long-distance runner” in politics, asserting his commitment to his duties for the remainder of his term.

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