Battle for the second round. Who will take over the government of right-wing souls?

gazetafenestra.pl 1 month ago

In the race for the seat of the president of Poland, 2 candidates unexpectedly found themselves at the centre of political interest. Sławomir Mentzen and Karol Nawrocki — although different in kind and message — present compete for 1 thing: entering the second round. 1 escapes on a scooter from journalists, the another praises himself under a nickname. Both of them show how much politics in Poland has become a spectacle in which the form is increasingly clouding content.

In the presidential run of 2025, there is something happening that no 1 would have expected a decade ago. 2 candidates — Sławomir Mentzen and Karol Nawrocki — who do not represent either a liberal center or a classical left, are now increasing up to be the main contenders for the fight for second place in the first round. According to a poll by the Pollster investigation Institute for “Super Express” in early April, the PiS candidate enjoys a 23% endorsement, followed by a 19% endorsement by the Confederate leader, and both are trying to catch up with the current favourite – Rafał Trzaskowski, who leads with a 35% score. But it's not just numbers that attract attention. It is the style, form, controversy and language utilized by the aspiring president that makes their campaigns sometimes match a political reality show.

Sławomir Mentzen, leader of the Confederacy, is simply a candidate who can gain attention in a second. An entrepreneur, a doctor of economical science, a man who built his political identity on opposition to the “left”. Although his constituents remember the times erstwhile he spoke on the net about "Jews, gays, abortions, taxes and the European Union", we now hear about "rationalisation of the taxation system" and "restore sovereignty". The problem is, Mentzen throws his own stuff. In interviews, including on Radio Zet or in Channel Zero at Krzysztof Stanowski, he is lost in his statements. On the 1 hand, he wants to appear to be a serious candidate, on the another hand, he inactive cannot justify his proposals and give concrete solutions. He avoids journalists — 1 of the louder episodes of his election rallies is to escape erstwhile uncomfortable questions begin to be asked. Escape on the scooter. Just like that, not a word. His relation with the media remains tense – in a conversation with Justyna Dobrosz-Oracz from TVP he acted arrogantly, interrupted the writer and avoided answers. The Confederate candidate's most curiosity answer, "Please ask for a wiser question," followed the question of defence and taxes, which are the subjects of his main electoral slogans. In all of this, there is simply a consequence – the unfavorable media are to be his enemy, and public confrontations are only welcome with friendly journalists.

Against Mentzen's background, Karol Nawrocki seems more classical, at least at first glance. The current president of the Institute of National Memory, the historian, for years connected with the patriotic movement, draws from national-conservative narrative. His run is simply a constant emphasis on “historic memory”, “proud Poland” and “fight for sovereignty”. Historical politics, which he treats as weapons, is to be a consequence to any problems — from abroad policy to education. Nawrocki's character is besides not free from controversy. In 2018, he promoted a biographical book about gangster Nikodem Skotarczak, appearing under the pseudonym Tadeusz Batyr, praised it in the media, without revealing that he was the author himself. This “double personality” is mentioned by many commentators today. Another questionable situation involving Nawrocki was that there were "two puta and always were" (writing according to the pronunciation of the candidate), which ran around the network and sparked a wave of criticism from academics and human rights organisations.

PiS and Confederate candidates combine 1 thing — conservatism. Both argue the liberalisation of abortion law. Mentzen argues that abortion cannot be legal, even if it involves any “unpleasant” (read rape), and Nawrocki speaks of “the protection of life from conception”. Their approach to women in politics and society seems to have stopped in the erstwhile era. Both of them believe that sexual minorities are “ideology” to be fought and that the conventional household is simply a model that the state should defend. However, their speech and kind vary. Mentzen is simply a performer who can sale his created character on TikTok, but then fails to cope with questions about budgetary realities. Nawrocki is an organization candidate who strives to build up seriousness on a technological title and public function, although the visible weakness appears to be media in the past and not very superb statements from the present. On abroad policy issues, Mentzen represents the Eurosceptic wing — he speaks of “recovery of sovereignty”, he does not hide criticism of Brussels. Nawrocki focuses on a strong alliance with the US, praises Donald Trump, and suggests that Poland should "go its own way", even at the expense of relations with EU institutions.

After an unexpected increase in support in the March poll, appearing to be on the wave rising Sławomir Mentzen hit a drop in April after loud interviews. On the basis of these, netizens created a fresh "five" candidate of the Confederation (elimination of 13th and 14th pensions, paid studies, elimination of 800+, paid wellness care, treatment in a quack). Meanwhile, Nawrocki was stagnant. What's the outcome? It may turn out that voters will face a choice not so much between different visions of Poland as between different political performances. And who will win — a performer on scooter or a historian in the mask of the author of gangster biography?

MAZIOPA OIL

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