In Polish politics, few things are as unpredictable as the career of Szymon Hołownia. Only recently, as Marshal of the Sejm, he seemed one of the pillars of the ruling coalition; today he faces the prospect of a complete retreat. He lost the competition for the post of UN High Commissioner for Refugees, he is not running in the election for leader of his own party, Polska 2050, and the polls for this formation are scraping the bottom – just 1 percent support, meaning it would not even enter the Sejm. In my view, Hołownia faces a dilemma: should he try to save the sinking ship, or jump off the „Titanic” and return to his roots, that is, show business? Or might he hand the helm to someone else, such as Ryszard Petru or Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz, to avoid total defeat?
Let us recall the facts: Hołownia, once a charismatic TV presenter, entered politics with slogans of a new quality and moral renewal. He founded Polska 2050, which joined the ruling coalition in 2023, and he himself became Marshal of the Sejm. But today, in December 2025, everything is falling apart. According to media reports, the UN post – which Hołownia had counted on as an „international retirement” – went to Iraqi national Barham Ahmed Salih. Hołownia himself admitted that his chances were slim, yet he flew to New York on a government plane for recruitment interviews. This is symbolic: public money spent on private ambitions. In my view, this defeat is no accident – Hołownia, despite his charisma, lacks real qualifications in diplomacy or refugee issues. A matura certificate and media experience are not enough for such a prestigious position.
Added to this is his withdrawal from the fight for leadership of Polska 2050. Only recently, rumours circulated in the party that Hołownia would still run, but in the end he backed off. The official list of candidates does not include his name, and the frontrunner is Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz, a former minister and Hołownia’s close collaborator. Others mention Ryszard Petru, an economist with experience, who could try to save the party from total oblivion. The polls are merciless: in the latest surveys by IPSOS for Radio ZET and IBRiS for Polsat News, Polska 2050 hovers at the margin of statistical error, while Civic Coalition and PiS dominate. Hołownia’s party, once the hope of centrist voters, today resembles a sinking ship – long, frustration among activists and no vision. The process of decay, as insiders say, has already begun.
So will Hołownia jump off this „Titanic”? Speculation about a return to „Mam Talent” is not new. The programme, which he hosted for years alongside Marcin Prokop, brought him fame and viewers’ sympathy. In 2019 he left to focus on politics, but today, after mockery from celebrities such as Agnieszka Woźniak-Starak („Oh, Szymon, Szymon, maybe you should return to 'Mam Talent!'”), this option seems tempting. In my view, this could be the ideal exit – Hołownia has a talent for public performance, and politics has shown him its limits. Instead of staying in a party with 1 percent support, he could return to TV, where he would not have to worry about polls. But would that not amount to admitting defeat? Politics was meant to be a mission, not an episode.
If Hołownia hands over the helm, to whom? Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz seems the natural choice – competent, with government experience, she could attempt to rebrand the party. Ryszard Petru, with his economic background, would add the substance that is lacking. But would that save Polska 2050? I doubt it. The party was built around Hołownia’s charisma; without him it is an empty balloon. In my view, a better option would be a merger with another formation, for example with PSL, which is also fighting for survival.
In conclusion, Szymon Hołownia stands at a crossroads. Politics has worn him out, and the setbacks – at the UN, in the party, in the polls – show that it is time for a change. A return to „Mam Talent” could be an amusing twist, but also a symbol that in Polish politics celebrities come and go. If he jumps off the sinking ship, handing it over to Pełczyńska-Nałęcz or Petru, he will at least save face.
