Poland’s lower house sends citizen-backed proposal for mandatory religion or ethics classes to committee for further work.
Sejm Votes on Religion in Schools
The Sejm on Friday approved sending a citizen-backed bill titled “Yes to Religion and Ethics in Schools” to committee for further review. The proposal seeks to reinstate mandatory religion or ethics classes. Opposition came from PiS, Confederation, Polish People’s Party, and eight MPs from Poland 2050, while Civic Coalition, The Left, and remaining Poland 2050 MPs opposed it. The petition gathered around 500,000 signatures, authored by Dr. Łukasz Bernaciński of the Ordo Iuris Institute.
Prime Minister Tusk’s Stance
Prime Minister Donald Tusk criticized the bill, stating, “If it comes to religion, as you know, the October 15 coalition is not a unified bloc on values or church relations. When I was young, I attended religion classes out of personal choice, not coercion. Forcing beliefs is the worst approach, especially for the church’s current condition.”
Opposition Reactions
New Left MP Tomasz Trela called the bill a “very bad project,” linking it to a late-night meeting with Jarosław Kaczyński. Civic Coalition MP Roman Giertych compared the proposal to historical debates, arguing, “Those forcing religion on children push for absolute secularism. Parents, not President Nawrocki, should decide.”
Civic Coalition spokesperson Dorota Łoboda labeled the bill “very bad,” while PiS MP Marcin Warchoł claimed the coalition is fracturing, losing its majority.
Additional Commentary
Newsweek journalist Dominika Długosz questioned the logic of mandatory religion classes while omitting health education.
