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Mariusz Błaszczak

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Mariusz Błaszczak
Official portrait, 2015
Deputy Prime Minister
In office
22 June 2022 – 21 June 2023
Serving with Henryk Kowalczyk
Prime MinisterMateusz Morawiecki
Preceded byJarosław Kaczyński
Succeeded byJarosław Kaczyński
Minister of National Defence
In office
9 January 2018 – 13 December 2023
Prime MinisterMateusz Morawiecki
Preceded byAntoni Macierewicz
Succeeded byWładysław Kosiniak-Kamysz
Minister of the Interior and Administration
In office
16 November 2015 – 9 January 2018
Prime Minister
Preceded by
Succeeded byJoachim Brudziński
Parliamentary leader of Law and Justice
Incumbent
Assumed office
13 November 2023
In office
3 August 2010 – 11 November 2015
Member of the Sejm
Incumbent
Assumed office
5 November 2007
ConstituencyNo. 20 (Warsaw II)
Minister without portfolio
In office
27 March 2007 – 16 November 2007[c]
Prime MinisterJarosław Kaczyński
Chief of the Prime Minister's Chancellery
In office
31 October 2005 – 16 November 2007
Prime Minister
DeputyPiotr Tutak
Preceded bySławomir Cytrycki
Succeeded byTomasz Arabski
Personal details
Born (1969-09-19) 19 September 1969 (age 55)
Legionowo, Poland
Political partyLaw and Justice
Alma materUniversity of Warsaw
Signature

Mariusz Błaszczak (pronounced [ˈmar.juʂ ˈbwaʂ.t͡ʂak] ⓘ; born 19 September 1969) is a Polish politician, historian, local government representative and civil servant. A member of the Sejm continuously since 2007 and a prominent figure of the Law and Justice party, he held various government positions in the years 2005–2007 and 2015–2023.

Błaszczak served as Minister of National Defence from 2018 to 2023 and Minister of the Interior and Administration from 2015 to 2018. He was also Deputy Prime Minister between 2022 and 2023. In the previous Law and Justice government, he was Chief of the Prime Minister's Chancellery from 2005 to 2007, and minister without portfolio in the year 2007. He has been a parliamentary leader of Law and Justice since 2023, and previously between 2010 and 2015.

Early life and education

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Błaszczak was born on 19 September 1969 in Legionowo to Danuta and Lucjan Błaszczak;[1] his father worked at the FSO factory in Żerań.[2]

Błaszczak graduated with a master's degree in history in 1995 from the University of Warsaw, where he also completed postgraduate course in local government and local development in 1998.[3] He is a graduate of the National School of Public Administration, where he studied between 1999 and 2001.[4] He also finished postgraduate studies in management in public administration at the Leon Koźmiński's Higher School of Entrepreneurship and Management.[2]

Political career

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While at university, Błaszczak was a member of the Independent Students' Association and the Catholic Academic Youth Association. In 1991 he joined the Centre Agreement,[5] a centre-right Christian democratic party, which would later become the core of Law and Justice, both political projects of Jarosław Kaczyński.[6] In the 1993 parliamentary election, Błaszczak stood for the first time as a candidate for the Sejm but was unsuccessful. He received 0.17% of the votes in the now revised suburban Warsaw constituency,[d] while the Centre Agreement did not surpass the 5% electoral threshold.[7]

After his studies, Błaszczak worked as a civil servant in the town government of Legionowo.[8] In the 2002 local election, Błaszczak ran for the office of mayor of Legionowo, as a candidate of the Voters Electoral Committee of Justice, Law and Self-Government.[9] He obtained 11.02% of the votes and did not advance to second round.[10] Between 2002 and 2004, Błaszczak served as deputy mayor of the Warsaw district of Wola, and from 2004 until 2006 was a mayor of the Śródmieście district.[8]

First government (2005–2007)

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In the parliamentary election of September 2005, Błaszczak run for the Sejm from the Warsaw constituency with the Law and Justice party, but did not secure a seat receiving 0.11% of the votes.[11] On 31 October 2005, he was appointed chief of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister in the newly formed government of Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz.[12] He was chosen at the persuasion of Jarosław Kaczyński, in spite of Marcinkiewicz's original intent to assign Piotr Tutak to the post.[13] Błaszczak remained in office, when Jarosław Kaczyński succeeded Marcinkiewicz as prime minister in July 2006, and also entered Kaczyński's cabinet as minister without portfolio on 27 March 2007.[c][16]

Simultaneously, Błaszczak became a member of the Masovian Voivodeship Sejmik in the November 2006 local elections,[17] where he served until November 2007.[18]

As the government coalition came apart on 13 August 2007, a snap election was called,[19] in which Błaszczak obtained a seat in the Sejm running from the suburban Warsaw constituency.[20] In the election aftermath, he stepped down from government posts, along with Kaczyński's cabinet, by 16 November 2007.[21][22]

In the opposition (2005–2015)

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Błaszczak became a spokesman of the Law and Justice parliamentary group in March 2009. On 3 August 2010 he was chosen as the party's parliamentary leader on the recommendation of Jarosław Kaczyński.[23]

In the 2011 parliamentary election, he led the party list in his incumbent constituency, and received 9.85% of the votes securing re-election.[24]

Second government (2015–2023)

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In the 2015 parliamentary election, Błaszczak was once again elected to the Sejm, with 14.91% of the votes in his constituency.[25] The Law and Justice won an outright majority in the parliament, giving the party sole discretion to form new government.[26] On 16 November 2015, the cabinet led by Beata Szydło was appointed, in which Błaszczak took the office of Minister of the Interior and Administration.[27]

In February 2016, opposition party Civic Platform filed a motion of no confidence against Błaszczak, accusing him of incompetence in choosing the chief of Police, who was dismissed after two months in office in response to the allegations of corruption investigations being carried out against him. In March, the motion failed in parliament, with members of the Sejm voting 177 in favour and 239 against it.[28][29]

In the 2017 interview with Polskie Radio about the European refugee crisis, Błaszczak stated that thanks to Christianity, there were leaders like "Charles the Hammer who stopped the Muslim invasion of Europe in the eighth century".[30]

In August 2018, Błaszczak's public statements on TV Trwam regarding the equality parade in Poznań were described by some media and commentators as homophobic and constituted hate speech.[31]

On 11 December 2017, Błaszczak became Minister of Interior of Poland in the First Cabinet of Mateusz Morawiecki.[32] He resigned from the position on 9 January 2018, later replacing Antoni Macierewicz as Minister of National Defence.[33]

Błaszczak with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., 20 April 2022

In the 2019 Polish parliamentary election, Błaszczak successfully ran for parliamentary re-election, receiving 135,189 votes.[34] The same year on 15 November, he became Polish Minister of Defence again, becoming part of the Second Cabinet of Mateusz Morawiecki.[35] On 22 June 2022, Błaszczak was appointed to the position of deputy prime minister,[36] replacing Jarosław Kaczyński.[37]

Błaszczak served as Vice-President of the Council of Ministers until 21 June 2023, but resigned together with other deputy prime ministers due to Jarosław Kaczyński's re-entry into the government.[38]

In the opposition (since 2023)

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In the 2023 Polish parliamentary election, Błaszczak won a parliamentary seat for the fifth time in a row (with the result of 127,578 votes).[39] Later that November, he became chairman of his party's parliamentary club again.[40] Błaszczak left the office on 13 December 2023.[41]

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In March 2025, prosecutors filed charges against Błaszczak for declassifying parts of a national defense plan prepared during the government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Błaszczak denied wrongdoing, saying that the Tusk government wanted "to give up half of Poland without a fight", referring to plans to withdraw from eastern Poland in the event of a Russian invasion.[42]

Honours and decorations

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Electoral history

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Sejm

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Year Electoral list Constituency Votes received Result Ref
Total % +/−
1993 Centre Agreement No. 2[d] 449 0.17 — Not elected [7]
2005 Law and Justice No. 19 (Warsaw I) 869 0.11 −0.06 Not elected [11]
2007 No. 20 (Warsaw II) 10,061 2.18 +2.07 Elected [20]
2011 44,319 9.85 +7.67 Elected [24]
2015 73,139 14.91 +5.06 Elected [25]
2019 135,189 22.58 +7.67 Elected [51]
2023 127,578 17.46 −5.12 Elected [52]

Notes

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  1. ^ As the Minister of the Interior.
  2. ^ As the Minister of Administration.
  3. ^ a b Błaszczak served as minister without portfolio with a brief break between 7 and 11 September 2007.[14][15]
  4. ^ a b Former Sejm Constituency no. 2 encompassed the now-abolished Warsaw Voivodeship, excluding the city of Warsaw.

References

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  1. ^ "Dane osoby pełniącej funkcje publiczne". katalog.bip.ipn.gov.pl (in Polish). IPN. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Kim jest Mariusz Błaszczak? Rodzina, kariera". Super Express (in Polish). ZPR Media Group. 9 November 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
  3. ^ "Mariusz Błaszczak - Sejm Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej". sejm.gov.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 23 March 2025.
  4. ^ "Absolwent KSAP Mariusz Błaszczak nowym szefem MSWiA | KSAP". ksap.gov.pl (in Polish). 17 November 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
  5. ^ "Mariusz Błaszczak - kandydatem na ministra spraw wewnętrznych i administracji". pap.pl (in Polish). Polish Press Agency. 9 November 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
  6. ^ Wiśniewska, Karolina (12 May 2019). "'W tym dniu wszystko miało się zmienić'. 29 lat temu powstało Porozumienie Centrum, pierwsza partia Jarosława Kaczyńskiego". TOK FM (in Polish). Agora Group. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
  7. ^ a b "Wybory do Sejmu w 1993 r. – Dane Wyborcze" (XLS). danewyborcze.kbw.gov.pl (in Polish). National Electoral Office. Wykaz kandydatów na posłów z liczbą głosów i faktem uzyskania mandatu. Retrieved 24 March 2025. [Nr okr.] 2 [Nr listy] 1 [Komitet wyborczy] Porozumienie Centrum [Nr na liście] 11 [Nazwisko] Błaszczak [Imiona] Mariusz [Płeć] M [Wiek] 23 [Zawód] student [Miejsce zamieszkania] Legionowo [Nazwa partii.organizacji popierającej kandydata] Stowarzyszenie Zjednoczenie Polskie [L. gł.] 449 [Gł. na listę] 18683 [Gł. w okr.] 267394
  8. ^ a b "Mariusz Błaszczak". MamPrawoWiedziec.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 23 March 2025.
  9. ^ "Państwowa Komisja Wyborcza: Wybory samorządowe". wybory2002.pkw.gov.pl (in Polish). PKW. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  10. ^ "Państwowa Komisja Wyborcza: Wybory samorządowe". wybory2002.pkw.gov.pl (in Polish). PKW. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
  11. ^ a b "Election 2005". wybory2005.pkw.gov.pl. National Electoral Commission. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
  12. ^ "Mariusz Błaszczak Ministrem Spraw Wewnętrznych i Administracji". archiwum.mswia.gov.pl (in Polish). 16 November 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
  13. ^ Dudek, Antoni (2023). Historia polityczna Polski 1989–2023 (in Polish). Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Scholar. p. 469. ISBN 9788367450805.
  14. ^ "Prezydent RP odwołał członków Rady Ministrów \ Kancelaria \ Archiwum \ Archiwum Lecha Kaczyńskiego \ Aktualności \ Rok 2007 \ Oficjalna strona Prezydenta Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej". prezydent.pl (in Polish). 7 September 2007. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
  15. ^ "Prezydent RP powołał Ministrów \ Kancelaria \ Archiwum \ Archiwum Lecha Kaczyńskiego \ Aktualności \ Rok 2007 \ Oficjalna strona Prezydenta Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej". prezydent.pl (in Polish). 11 September 2007. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
  16. ^ "Prezydent odwołał ministrów LPR i Samoobrony". money.pl (in Polish). Wirtualna Polska. 13 August 2007. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
  17. ^ "Geografia wyborcza - Wybory samorządowe - Państwowa Komisja Wyborcza". wybory2006.pkw.gov.pl (in Polish). National Electoral Commission. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
  18. ^ "Kadencja III / Samorząd Województwa Mazowieckiego". archiwum.mazovia.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 23 March 2025.
  19. ^ Margraf, Monika (13 August 2012). "'Przed nami wybory' - pięć lat temu prezes PiS popełnił największy polityczny błąd?". TOK FM (in Polish). Agora Group. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
  20. ^ a b "Elections 2007". wybory2007.pkw.gov.pl. National Electoral Commission. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
  21. ^ "Prezydent przyjął dymisję rządu Jarosława Kaczyńskiego". Serwis Samorządowy PAP (in Polish). Polish Press Agency. 6 November 2007. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
  22. ^ "Prezydent RP Lech Kaczyński powołał Donalda Tuska na urząd Prezesa Rady Ministrów / Kancelaria / Archiwum / Archiwum Lecha Kaczyńskiego / Aktualności / Rok 2007 / Oficjalna strona Prezydenta Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej". prezydent.pl (in Polish). 16 November 2007. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
  23. ^ Pasterski, Radek (3 August 2010). "PiS wybrało szefa klubu". Rzeczpospolita (in Polish). Gremi Media. Archived from the original on 13 March 2012.
  24. ^ a b "Elections 2011". wybory2011.pkw.gov.pl. National Electoral Commission. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
  25. ^ a b "PKW | Wybory do Sejmu RP i Senatu RP". parlament2015.pkw.gov.pl (in Polish). National Electoral Commission. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
  26. ^ Goetting, Marcin; Barteczko, Agnieszka (27 October 2015). "Poland's Eurosceptics win outright majority in parliament". Reuters. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  27. ^ "Prezydent Andrzej Duda powołał rząd Beaty Szydło". pap.pl (in Polish). Polish Press Agency. 16 November 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  28. ^ "Komendant główny policji odchodzi: pomawiają mnie o rzekome przestępstwa". TVN24.pl (in Polish). TVN. 11 February 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2025.
  29. ^ "Sejm odrzucił wniosek o wotum nieufności wobec Mariusza Błaszczaka". Wyborcza.pl (in Polish). 16 March 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2025.
  30. ^ "Błaszczak o uchodźcach. "Karol Młot w VIII wieku zatrzymał nawałę muzułmańską"". TVN24 (in Polish). Warsaw: TVN Poland. 13 June 2017.
  31. ^ "Dehnel do szefa MON: Sam jesteś sodomitą, Błaszczaku zamykający granice przed uchodźcami". Dziennik Gazeta Prawna (in Polish). Warsaw: Ringier Axel Springier. 14 August 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  32. ^ "Ekipa Szydło w rządzie Morawieckiego. Jutro expose, głosowanie nad wotum zaufania w środę". TVN24 (in Polish). Warsaw: TVN Poland. Archived from the original on 11 December 2017.
  33. ^ "Prezydent powołał nowych ministrów". President of Poland Official Website (in Polish). 9 January 2018.
  34. ^ "Wyniki wyborów 2019 do Sejmu RP". sejmsenat2019.pkw.gov.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  35. ^ "Prezydent powołał nowy rząd". President of Poland Official Website (in Polish). Archived from the original on 15 November 2019.
  36. ^ "Zmiany w składzie Rady Ministrów". President of Poland Official Website (in Polish). Archived from the original on 22 June 2022.
  37. ^ Stelmach, Waldemar (22 June 2022). "Mariusz Błaszczak wicepremierem. Nowi ministrowie w rządzie". RMF24 (in Polish).
  38. ^ "Zmiany w rządzie. J. Sasin: Wszyscy wicepremierzy złożyli rezygnacje. Do rządu wejdzie Kaczyński". Polsat News (in Polish). Warsaw: Polsat. 21 June 2023.
  39. ^ "Serwis PKW – Wybory 2023". wybory.gov.pl (in Polish). 21 June 2023.
  40. ^ "Klub parlamentarny PiS ma nowego przewodniczącego. Powrócił po latach na to stanowisko". Wprost (in Polish). Poznań: AWR Wprost. 13 November 2023.
  41. ^ "Kosiniak-Kamysz szefem MON. Błaszczak przekazał mu mapę". Wprost (in Polish). Poznań: AWR Wprost. 13 December 2023.
  42. ^ "Poland charges former official who declassified plan for the nation's defense". AP News. 21 March 2025.
  43. ^ "Awanse i wyróżnienia w Dniu Pracownika Straży Granicznej". Politics of Poland Official Website (in Polish). 14 November 2016. Archived from the original on 28 September 2020.
  44. ^ "Maria Adamus uhonorowana Krzyżem "Golgota Wschodu"". Nasza Polska (in Polish). 28 April 2016. Archived from the original on 30 June 2018.
  45. ^ "Postanowienie nr 11/OP/2017 Ministra Spraw Wewnętrznych i Administracji" (PDF). Dziennik Urzędowy MSWiA (in Polish). 30 May 2017. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
  46. ^ "Decyzja Nr 200/MON z dnia 5 lipca 2012 r. w sprawie wprowadzenia odznaki okolicznościowej Ministerstwa Obrony Narodowej". Dziennik Urzędowy MSWiA (in Polish). 30 May 2017. p. 268. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
  47. ^ "Apdovanotų asmenų duomenų bazė". President of Lithuania Official Website (in Lithuanian). 20 February 2019. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020.
  48. ^ "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №595/2022". President of Ukraine Official Website (in Ukrainian). 23 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  49. ^ "Mamy laureata nagrody Człowiek Wolności tygodnika Sieci za 2022 rok!". Sieci (in Polish). Warsaw: Fratria. 27 December 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  50. ^ "Zełenski, Blinken i Błaszczak z nagrodą Człowieka Roku "Wprost"". Wprost (in Polish). Poznań: AWR Wprost. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  51. ^ "Sejm voting results | KOMITET WYBORCZY PRAWO I SPRAWIEDLIWOŚĆ | Sejm Constituency no. 20 [Warszawa]". sejmsenat2019.pkw.gov.pl. National Electoral Commission. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
  52. ^ "BŁASZCZAK Mariusz, candidate in Parliament election 2023". sejmsenat2023.pkw.gov.pl (in Polish). National Electoral Commission. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
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