Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz Minister of Defence of Poland from 13 December 2023 Date of Birth: 10.08.1981 Country: Poland

1. Early Life and Education
2. Political Career Before 2015
3. After 2015
4. Minister of National Defence
5. Personal Life

Early Life and Education

Mariusz Błaszczak was born on August 10, 1981, in Kraków, Poland. He attended Jan III Sobieski High School in Kraków and went on to study at the Jagiellonian University's Faculty of Medicine. In 2006, he graduated with a medical degree. In 2010, Błaszczak earned a Ph.D. in medical sciences with his dissertation on the relationship between gene variability and endothelial function in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Political Career Before 2015

Błaszczak has been a member of the Polish People's Party (PSL) since 2000. He co-founded the PSL Youth Forum and served as its secretary from 2008 to 2012. In 2010, he became a member of the Kraków City Council, where he worked on various committees related to social welfare, health, and economic development.

On November 18, 2011, Błaszczak was appointed Minister of Labour and Social Policy in Donald Tusk's second government. He also became Vice-Chairman of the PSL in 2012. In 2014, Błaszczak led the PSL's list in the European Parliament elections but failed to secure a seat. He was then reappointed as Labour and Social Policy Minister in Ewa Kopacz's government.

After 2015

In the 2015 parliamentary elections, Błaszczak led the PSL's list in the Tarnów constituency. He was elected to the Sejm (lower house of parliament) and became chairman of the PSL's parliamentary faction. Błaszczak was elected chairman of the PSL in November 2015 and resigned as Labour and Social Policy Minister.

In 2017, Błaszczak became a member of the board of the Polish Olympic Committee. He also chaired the joint parliamentary faction of the Polish Coalition (PSL and Union of European Democrats) from 2018. In 2019, he declared his candidacy for President of Poland but withdrew before the second round, endorsing Rafał Trzaskowski.

Minister of National Defence

On December 13, 2023, Błaszczak was appointed Minister of National Defence. He has focused on modernizing the Polish military and strengthening its ties with NATO.

Personal Life

Błaszczak comes from a family of politicians and diplomats. His father, Andrzej Kosiński-Kamysz, served as Health Minister in the government of Tadeusz Mazowiecki. He is married to Paulina Wojas and has two daughters, Zofia and Róża. Błaszczak is a practicing Catholic.