Jarosław Kaczyński, leader of Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party, condemned a potential alliance between the opposition Konfederacja and the Civic Platform (PO), warning it would align them with national betrayal.
Polish President’s Spokesman Criticizes Konfederacja’s Potential Coalition with PO
Hypothetical Coalition with Civic Platform
On Monday (August 25), Jarosław Kaczyński, President of the Law and Justice party, met with supporters in Gdańsk. During his speech, he addressed the hypothetical coalition between Konfederacja and the Civic Platform (KO), stating that Donald Tusk’s party would dominate such an alliance. “Civil Platform with its appendages would be stronger than Konfederacja, and it would dictate the terms,” he assessed. “It has external support and the backing of most media—there’s no doubt who would have the advantage.” Kaczyński further warned: “If Konfederacja goes to PO, it would align with something that can be calmly called national treason.”
“We Are Dealing with a Split”
Kaczyński then criticized Konfederacja itself, referencing its electoral campaign. He noted that Karol Nawrocki, Konfederacja’s presidential candidate, signed a declaration with Sławomir Mentzen, committing to several disputed points. “Our candidate signed these rather controversial points for Mentzen. He signed and is now fulfilling them. He was in a position where he had to sign, even if he disliked it. He signed, and the word is binding,” he said. Kaczyński declared: “Here, we are dealing with a far-reaching split. They may want to bolster their position against us this way. I want to say clearly from here: they won’t succeed. They definitely won’t. If they go to Platforma and form a coalition, they will end up on the side of anti-Polish, anti-patriotic forces, aligned with something that can be called national betrayal.”
Konfederacja MP: Open Dialogue Channels Remain
Grzegorz Płaczek, leader of Konfederacja’s parliamentary club, stated in July during a “Graffitti” program on Polsat News that his party “has open dialogue channels,” including with the Civic Platform. “As a parliamentary club leader, I meet with Sławomir Mentzen or Krzysztof Bosak as leaders? We are not closed off to one environment, despite the largest opposition party trying to stick us to it. Instead, we stand on the position that we see errors in both parties, and we are here to break the duopoly, not to smile at anyone,” he said. A few days later, Przemysław Wipler, another Konfederacja MP, told Radio Zet that his party could potentially govern with PO, but added, “Ideally, we would govern without any coalition partners.”
Source: Gazeta, https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7, https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/polska#anchorLink], https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/slawomir-mentzen#anchorLink], https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/polsat#anchorLink]
