Poland’s former president Lech Walesa has declared that Bronislaw Komorowski, the current speaker of the Sejm, would be a more suitable candidate in the presidential race than incumbent Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski.

The comment comes after media speculation about who from Civic Platform will run for the presidential post after Prime Minister Donald Tusk publicly resigned from the race at the end of January.

In his interview with a commercial radio station Thursday morning, Mr. Walesa added that if the parliamentary speaker were to stand, he would vote for him, quipping “I’m for Komorowski.”

Asked about the decision, the former Solidarity leader and Nobel prize winner said even though he likes and respects Sikorski, he believes that Komorowski has greater experience in the workings of parliament than Poland’s chief diplomat, adding that Komorowski is “more deeply engrained in [Polish] internal structures.”

Lech Walesa also commented on the Prime Minister’s decision not to run, stating that “it was a very good move”. He underlined that Mr. Tusk should carry on through with his premiership, saying that Poland needs “order in governance.”

After his resignation from the presidential race, Donald Tusk stated that either Speaker Bronislaw Komorowski or Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski should run from Civic Platform. The party’s “roadmap” on who to choose as its presidential candidate is expected to take place next Tuesday. (jb)

Source: PAP