Poland’s pro-democracy movement ousts leader, elects new one

WARSAW, Poland – Poland’s popular pro-democracy movement has elected a new leader amid signs of waning and controversies surrounding the finances of its previous chairman.

A weekend national convention of the Committee for the Defence of Democracy, or KOD, voted overwhelmingly for writer and political activist Krzysztof Lozinski to succeed Mateusz Kijowski.

Lozinski is KOD’s founding father. After the current nationalist government won power in 2015, he wrote a newspaper article criticizing the ruling party and calling on Poles to form KOD.

Kijowski floated the idea on social media, drawing a massive response that materialized in huge anti-government protests. He became KOD’s face and leader.

KOD started losing momentum amid reports that Kijowski was not paying required alimony and allegedly drew funds from KOD’s public collections.

Prosecutors are investigating.