Kaczyński denies interest in speaker post
PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge
07.07.2015 09:55
Jarosław Kaczyński, leader of opposition party Law and Justice, has rebuffed rumours that he has hopes of holding the position of speaker of Poland's lower house of parliament, should his party win the upcoming general election.
Jarosław Kaczyński. Photo: PAP/Jakub Kamiński
“I will not be speaker of parliament, I will manage somehow,” he said when quizzed by journalists.
Kaczyński has played an increasingly backstage role in recent months, confirming on 20 June that Beata Szydło is Law and Justice' candidate for prime minister, as Poland approaches its October general election.
Likewise, during the May presidential election campaign, the 66-year-old was conspicious by his absence, leaving the limelight to his party's ultimately victorious candidate, 43-year-old Andrzej Duda.
It remains unclear what role Kaczyński sees for himself, in the eventuality of a Law and Justice victory. In a recent opionion poll, his party had an 11 percent lead over Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz's Civic Platform party, which has been in a coalition government with the Polish People's Party since 2007. (nh)