Poll finds 68% of Poles oppose Szymon Hołownia joining cabinet as regional funds minister

Strong opposition to ministerial appointment

A survey conducted by Instytut Badań Pollster for Super Express found that 68% of respondents oppose Szymon Hołownia becoming the Minister of Funds and Regional Policy. Carried out between 21 and 22 September 2026 among 1,029 adult Poles, the survey registered 32% support for his appointment, with undecided respondents excluded from the published findings. The ministerial post is currently held by Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz.

The result follows a separate survey conducted in September by SW Research for Onet, which examined general support for Hołownia entering Donald Tusk's cabinet. In that poll, 56% of respondents opposed his inclusion in the government, 23.1% supported the move, and 20.9% expressed no opinion.

Discussions over information security remit

Speculation regarding Hołownia taking an executive role circulated during the summer of 2026. Scenarios discussed in media reports included appointing him as deputy prime minister, placing him at the helm of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage led by Marta Cienkowska, or creating a minister without portfolio role focused on information security and combating disinformation. Such responsibilities would intersect with duties handled by government spokesperson Adam Szłapka and Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski, who serves as minister of digital affairs. Hołownia addressed these discussions in an interview with TVN24, recounting conversations with Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

We talked about my political plans, but we also talked about what will happen with the entire October 15 coalition environment before the elections. I told the prime minister what I had told him earlier, that I believe today Poland, the government, needs someone who will coordinate information security.

Hołownia stated that he was prepared to accept the role if requested, arguing that government messaging requires an approach focused on civic confidence and shared success.

Parliamentary restructuring and polling shifts

Following an unsuccessful effort to secure a post in international politics, Hołownia altered his domestic focus in mid-September 2026 by assuming the leadership of the Polska 2050 parliamentary club. He replaced Paweł Śliz, who stepped down after two years in the post to become first deputy chairman alongside second deputy chairman Bartosz Romowicz. Śliz stated that when a founder-leader wants to stand on the front line, the club head's decision is to make room and pass the baton. The party confirmed that parliamentary members approved Hołownia's selection unanimously.

The leadership change occurred in the wake of an internal split within Polska 2050 earlier in 2026. A September survey by IBRiS for Rzeczpospolita indicated that voter support for Polska 2050 stood at 0.2%, down from the 14.4% achieved by the Third Way coalition in the 2023 parliamentary elections and Hołownia's 13.87% third-place finish in the 2020 presidential race. In an interview with Wprost regarding the future of the coalition with the Polish People's Party, Hołownia commented on the political center.

Perhaps a third way is indeed needed in the center of the political scene, especially after the fragmentation that occurred on the right, to state clearly: if you do not want a disaster, you have to choose reasonable people who will secure your future, our future, and ensure that we continue to move within boundaries we consider normal.