Joint Lists by KO, PiS, and Confederation Divide Warsaw's Praga

Neighborhood council elections in Warsaw's Praga district have surprised residents with unconventional political alliances. Local politicians from competing parties, including Civic Coalition (KO), Law and Justice (PiS), and Confederation, decided to run on joint lists, creating unusual personal arrangements at the lowest level of local government.

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This is a grassroots initiative. It is the sovereign decision of these individuals, I absolutely do not interfere or patronize it.

In the Grochów Północny neighborhood, the "Łączy nas Grochów Północny" (Grochów North Connects Us) list included Grażyna Serzysko, a KO councilor, Marek Borkowski, a PiS councilor, and Jacek Bartyzel, an activist associated with Grzegorz Braun's party. A similar bloc comprising representatives from PiS, KO, and Confederation emerged in the neighboring Saska Kępa area.

Local party leaders, such as the Mayor of Praga Południe, Tomasz Kucharski (KO), distanced themselves from these initiatives, calling them "grassroots initiatives" and "sovereign decisions" of the individuals involved. Councilor Anna Auksel-Sekutowicz (KO) explained that neighborhood councils are intended to operate above political divides. Sebastian Kaleta, head of PiS in Warsaw, noted that running without a party label does not violate party statutes, though members must be careful not to promote conflicting programs.

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Neighborhood councils are designed to operate above divisions.

However, the situation in Grochów Północny saw a shift just days before the vote. Councilor Grażyna Serzysko withdrew her candidacy, citing that the list included individuals whose views and values were completely contrary to her own, and that she could not agree to be associated with people holding "excessively extreme and aggressive" stances. The primary unifying factor for these cross-party councilors was often opposition to Warsaw's transport policies, particularly blocking the expansion of paid parking zones and street narrowing, while defending the status quo against urban activist demands.

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Starting without a party label does not violate the party's statute, although members must be careful not to promote conflicting programs.

The elections revealed a division among Praga-Południe residents. On Saska Kępa, the strategy of defending drivers proved successful, with the "Łączy nas Saska Kępa" (Saska Kępa Connects Us) committee dominating the 21-seat council by winning 20 mandates. Local councilor Michał Błotny thanked voters and pledged to build a "council of dialogue." In contrast, the Grochów Północny Neighborhood Council saw residents decisively reject the unconventional coalition.

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This decision stems from the fact that the list of candidates included individuals whose views and values are completely contrary to those I represent, and about which I previously had no knowledge or awareness.