Jerzy Kropiwnicki was removed from the office of mayor of Łódź by special referendum in mid-January, with over 96 percent of the vote against him.

Mr Kropiwnicki had been accused of neglecting public transportation and municipal infrastructure as well as spending lavishly on trips abroad. Some 133,000 voters took part in the referendum, putting turnout at 22 percent.

The referendum was an initiative of the Łódź branch of the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD), while Mr Kropiwnicki was supported by the populist-conservative Law and Justice party.
The referendum seemed to indicate deep dissatisfaction with Mr Kropiwnicki, as voters would have had a chance to elect someone else in regularly scheduled elections later this year, but instead decided to bear the extra cost of holding the vote now.

Weekly magazine Polityka estimated that after five years of rule, he had spent over a year abroad on various trips, costing taxpayers almost zł.300,000.

He was also criticized for being involved in initiatives that had little to do with management of the city, such as a campaign to bring back the Catholic Feast of the Epiphany (January 6) as a national holiday.

“I lost because of SLD’s lies and [ruling party Civic Platform’s] hypocrisy,” he commented on the outcome.

Three days prior to the referendum, Mr Kropiwnicki was hospitalized after complaining of chest pain at a press conference. He was discharged a few days later.

Mr Kropiwnicki was elected as Łódź’s mayor in 2002, when the electoral law introducing popular elections for mayors entered into effect. He was re-elected in 2006.