Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
After moving from Poland to Dublin nine years ago, Sebastian Widel is hoping to win a seat in the Polish parliament as one of the first round of emigrant candidates to run for election from abroad.
He tells TheJournal.ie about his plans, and why he believes emigrants from all countries – including Ireland – should be able to vote back home.
I’VE BEEN IN Ireland since 2002, so a bit over nine years. My family is here; I met my fiancée in Ireland, though she is Lithuanian, and we live in Dublin. I’m running in the Polish elections this Sunday.
The results of the previous election showed that more people from abroad are voting in elections in Poland. So one party came up with this idea that they would allow Polish people abroad to run as candidates. In order, hopefully, that we don’t lose the Polish diaspora.
They contacted me, and I refused at first, but then I thought I might have some ideas on how to improve relationships between Poland and the Polish diaspora – people like me who went abroad, started from scratch, gained some experience and progressed. It’s about engaging Polish people abroad, making them interested in what’s happening in Poland. Because even if they stay in their new countries, in years to come they may be well placed in Ireland or the UK, in private business or big companies. They could help with Poland’s economy and trade.
Ireland is a great example of this, of the potential that people living in other countries have. The Irish who emigrated to the States came back with money, and brought companies to set up here in Ireland.
Voting from abroad very simple. You register online up to three days before the elections. So you go to the website, put in your passport number, your place of residence and some personal details – it takes five minutes. Then you pick your ballot point – so one would be the Polish embassy in Dublin, another would be in Galway, Cork, and I think Limerick. Three days later you go with your passport and vote.
Altogether there are 15 or 16 candidates outside Poland, but there are no others running in Ireland. My friends are helping with the campaign. I’m still in full-time employment so it’s basically weekends. I’ve given a couple of interviews to the Polish press in Ireland, I have a meeting in the Polish House, a meeting with Polish people in Cork; I have some leaflets which I’m leaving at Polish shops and churches, and I’m trying to talk to people. I also have a website, which shows my programmes for Polish migrants and infrastructure. These are the things I’d improve if I got a chance.
Some people say that once you move away, you shouldn’t be interested in your home country. But this emigration from Poland is very new; it’s only the last six or seven years. Many people still have their families, their friends in Poland; I would hope that they would still wish Poland very well. And they know the problems that Poland has – because from a distance of 2000km, with the perspective of another country, you can see better what could be improved. So they should have someone, a candidate who can make that kind of difference.
I don’t agree with the idea that people who aren’t paying tax in Poland shouldn’t be able to vote in Poland. Emigrants travel home to Poland, they spend their money in Poland. If they decide to move back, they might bring savings with them, and then they will be investing in Poland. Ryanair flies to almost every city in Poland, it boosts the local economies, airports are growing. Plus our Irish friends are travelling to Krakow and Warsaw, and I would say that this is also because they know Polish people and they can ask us for a recommendation. Research also shows that we are sending money to support families at home. So we do have a big influence on the Polish economy. So it’s not like we have no right to vote.
I would say that Irish emigrants who hold Irish passports should also be eligible to vote at home. This would change politics, and I think it could make politics better. Because people in other countries can see the faults of their own homeland better; they can see ways of improving things.
If I was elected, I would hope to be in Ireland as often as possible. I’d like to have a clinic meeting in Ireland every two weeks, like Irish TDs have, an Irish phone number. One of the differences between the countries is that Polish politicians are not as approachable as Irish ones would be, so I’d like to try and change that.
Polish people abroad can vote, and they should. It doesn’t matter who they vote for .But as long as they do, they won’t be forgotten for the next four years.
Today is the deadline for Polish emigrants to register in Sunday’s elections. For more information about Sebastian Widel, check out his website (translated version here). As told to Michael Freeman.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
I live in Poland, I have have to say, I think this is pretty stupid. I can’t vote in Irish elections and I’ve no problem with that, actually I support it…….why should my choice on the ballot paper have anything to do with the citizens of a country I don’t live in anymore.
What party are you running for? If it’s PiS then I sincerely hope you do not win because that Jarek chap is feckin insane. PO have become stale and useless, the only party in Poland with any balls now are SLD and they won’t win because of the religious auld wons all over the country. If PiS do win, I’ll consider leaving.
Anyway, back to the point…..you’ve lived outside Poland for 9 years, it’s time to move one Seba, maybe try for Irish nationality/citizenship and then you can vote in the actual country you live in. I’m more than happy with the current arrangement that I can vote in local and EU elections, maybe after another few years I’ll decide if I want to get Polish citizenship to vote here……but only if mentaller Jaroslaw Kaczynski and his even more mental loons in PiS don’t get into power.
Nara koles
Completely agree, except maybe with voting for SLD :) It is really an absurd situation to have people who are not resident – ie not open to benefit or suffer from who is in power – having the same voting rights as people who pay taxes, use the social services and live with the decisions of the politicians for who they cast their vote. And the situation here in Poland is even more crazy where people who hold Polish citizens have the right to vote even if they have never set foot in Poland.
Perhaps Irish people abroad should be able to vote if it is less then 2 years since they emigrated, or maybe there could be a two-TD constituency especially for us expatriates, but to allow everyone with an Irish passport a vote like a Irish citizen who is resident in Ireland is absurd… the results would be obvious all the FF voters in the US would still be voting for FF. Why would they change?
Also..@ Pan Widel: Która partia jest Pan kandydatem?
Very well said Paddy – I think this is madness altogether. If people make the tough decision to emigrate, start a new life in pasture new, they are also making the decision to leave their homeland behind. This includes loved ones, friends and of course the vicious circled economy they were caught up in through no fault of their own. Without living in the land, a lot can be seen through rose coloured glasses so to speak. Its completely different to read about or hear about any situation, than it is to BE in that situation. How on earth can an elected represenative of any country actually work for the people of that country whilst not living there? How can they be properly aware of what is really going on locally and nationally without living it and breathing it? Sure doesnt Ireland fall apart at the seams when the Dáil is on Summer break and all of our elected representatives are out of the country!!!
Our successive elected governments have a vested interest in ensuring that Irish citizens not living within our 26 country borders do not get to vote …. They need to preserve the status-quo.
Irish forced to emmigrate are obviously going to feel more hard-done-by than those citizens who did not need to emmigrate, and will therefore vote strategically to send clear unambiguous messages to the Government of the day. Irish governments WILL NOT ALLOW this. Tihs would risk their ivory tower, ministerial payments, expenses etc…. they would rather disenfranchise the Irish, then risk anything by giving the Irish people born in Ireland with Irish passports a vote …. They are spineless cowards.
i dont understand why it should be allowed? Nothing to do with the status quo or tax but I have to put up with the consequences of any voting where someone who has emigrated doesn’t – that’s hardly fair now is it?
But why should people who don’t live in the republic have any say in how its run? Would you be happy with us voting in the north?
Best of luck in the election.
So, you never intend to return to live in your natural country …If thats the case, you dont have to vote. That is your choice. But for the vast majority of immigrants, who are forced to emmigrate, they would still like to be able to vote for people/parties based on what sort of country they would like to return to, and what parties they believe will set the country up for success. Would this not be a fair summation of what is right, while respecting people like yourselves right not to vote, if they dont want to…
I saw many ex-pats in this country (Ireland) vote in their respective elections … eg the US, UK, Polish, Lithuanian … (the list goes on) …
These same people take it as a basic human right. I was talking to a Scottish co-worker yesterday, and i was explaining the voting situation. He nearly fell down in disbelief when i told him that we remove voting rights from people, if they are not present in the country on the day of an election. He said he felt that this was totally undemocratic and deliberatly ignoring the wishes of the majority of ex-pats in other countries.
Dermot, my comment above was not aimed at you … :) It was meant ot be addressed to the two previous posters :)
You are doing it for the money mate:D Do not imput it is for a country, You have lived in Ireland since 2002 hahah I wouldn’t give you a broken vote. Take care
Tell us the truth, Your intension is to get back to Poland and as I pressume You want to make sure your future is safe enough:) What is the solution? There you go ! being a senator it’s a great idea:D
If we could not vote in Poland and we still can not vote in Ireland we finally can not wote anywhere. Also there is more Irish people abroad then in Ireland and in Poland is other way around and we can vote only for Warsaw candidates and it is not affects whole country.
I think that everyone with Irish citizenship should be allowed vote in presidential elections. But only those living in the constituency should be allowed vote in general or local elections. How else will they know the issues that they’re voting on?
have your say