Zb. Jak, Thoughts 16/2024: Post-election reflections

After local elections it is worth to look at their results to learn a small about the state of Polish society.

Looking at the results, no of the groups participating in the elections can be satisfied. Despite the highest percent of votes, PiS failed to keep ownership position from erstwhile elections and lost distance in large cities. KO failed to more mobilize its supporters and in the agrarian electorate it failed to grow its influence. The 3rd Road achieved a weaker consequence than in the parliamentary elections, which means that voters were disappointed about its actions in parliament. And even though the PSL is heavy embedded in the field, it has many activists, they failed to accomplish a better result. The Confederacy failed to increase the number of supporters even though they competed with the Unpartisan Local Governments and hoped for more. Nor did the PiSu attack mechanics work; its voters did not transfer the vote to the Confederacy. The left has achieved a weak result; I think it is adequate for actual support (unfortunately, the government has far greater influences). It may besides be that in many places local-named committees were set up to prevent voters from acting under the organization name. However, local elections are becoming increasingly partyial and increasingly hard for local activists to accomplish a good consequence outside organization committees. This can be achieved if, for any reason, the organization committees do not issue their letters in a given area (sometimes for tactical reasons or not to compete with another committee).

It should besides be noted that the consequence of PiSu is better than expected by its authorities. In my opinion, this resulted from a lower voter turnout; if the turnout were higher, the KO would have a better result. In the election to the KO parliament, more people with a password were able to be mobilized to remove the Law and Justice and that worked. However, shortly these people found that this change did not bring a better life, there was disappointment and these people did not take part in the election. It would be interesting to find out what groups those who did not take part in the local elections voted for.

In the elections, 1 should vote consciously: if individual has not been able to identify the candidates, 1 should not take part in the elections alternatively than vote accidentally. any claim that taking part in the election is the most important, but that is not true; without discernment 1 can choose individual who will act to the detriment of the community. It is highly likely that specified a voter will propose any indication of the main media and these media do not indicate candidates representing the interests of the Polish society.

Local activists, with local ambitions of self-government, erstwhile they announcement that apart from the organization committee it is hard to get to the council of any level, in the next election (if they are recognisable) they search to run from the organization committee and it is frequently the way to be elected. independency is thus lost due to the fact that the local policy of the group must be adopted. Slowly, too, erosion of professed values begins and the only value becomes a self-government activist.

And erstwhile looking at the results in individual municipal councils, is it worth considering whether there is simply a sense to make specified councils? frequently (e.g. Warsaw) 1 group wins in subsequent elections and the another (of the large ones) is in opposition. Experience teaches that opposition councillors can barely do anything, and those who “rule” follow the orders of the city president and his political background. So why do you gotta pay these people? possibly it would only be adequate to choose the President; it would be cheaper, and the functioning of the city would not be different. The president or mayor have quite a few officials at their disposal. Voters frequently follow not what they want to do for the city, but a organization sign. In addition, a large majority of residents are not curious in what the city council meetings are about. At present, if the president wanted to ask the residents for an opinion on any matter, he could organise an online consultation and receive an active opinion from the residents on the matter. alternatively of 46,500 councillors (citys, municipalities, powiats, voivodships) it would be adequate to choose 2.5 000 mayors, mayors and mayors of cities. In the case of the disastrous governments of the elected representative, it could be cancelled by referendum. If this is not the case, the next election will verify his activities, Are provincial seymites needed? It may be to better distribute funds if the central authorities want to discriminate against the voivodship for electoral reasons. But is it appropriate for the provinces to compete for EU funds? Isn't the Provincial Sejm the place of employment of activists who failed to get to the Sejm? It can only be a test before a possible election to the Sejm. In the case of 4 types of elections, it is hard to identify candidates; in the case of elections for president or mayor, the mayor is easier to accomplish this. And are voters curious in what individual councils do, or are they not organising meetings to fill out reports?

On the another hand, those who have the ambition to act locally for their community could do so if they were able to get funds from any kind of fundraising. I would be a small afraid about the allocation of public funds, as abuse is easy here. It besides seems that it should not be allowed to supply non-governmental organizations with abroad money, then the objectives of abroad society can be met.

However, as this is the electoral system, candidates should be identified and elected. This besides applies to the upcoming elections to the Europarliament; they will be important. It will be easier to identify candidates,

Zbigniew Żak