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The Guardian view on Poland's election: pride versus prejudice The Guardian view on Poland's election: pride versus prejudice
(6 days later)
Editorial: A disgracefully homophobic campaign may have backfired on President Andrzej DudaEditorial: A disgracefully homophobic campaign may have backfired on President Andrzej Duda
Last week, in Poland’s presidential palace, the incumbent head of state, Andrzej Duda, was presented with a set of grim photographic portraits. The images were of Polish LGBT teenagers who had recently taken their own lives. The activist who presented President Duda with the images said after the meeting: “I told him I hope he will see these kids in his nightmares.”Last week, in Poland’s presidential palace, the incumbent head of state, Andrzej Duda, was presented with a set of grim photographic portraits. The images were of Polish LGBT teenagers who had recently taken their own lives. The activist who presented President Duda with the images said after the meeting: “I told him I hope he will see these kids in his nightmares.”
The tone of bitter exasperation was understandable. In the lead-up to Poland’s delayed presidential election this Sunday, the disgraceful drumbeat of homophobia in Mr Duda’s bid for re-election has been unrelenting and shameful. During a televised debate on LGBT issues, an MP from the ruling Law and Justice party (PiS) and member of the president’s campaign team told viewers: “Let’s stop listening to these idiocies about human rights. These people are not equal with normal people.” The president himself has pledged to “defend children from LGBT ideology”, an alleged worldview that he compared to communism in its power to destroy Polish values.The tone of bitter exasperation was understandable. In the lead-up to Poland’s delayed presidential election this Sunday, the disgraceful drumbeat of homophobia in Mr Duda’s bid for re-election has been unrelenting and shameful. During a televised debate on LGBT issues, an MP from the ruling Law and Justice party (PiS) and member of the president’s campaign team told viewers: “Let’s stop listening to these idiocies about human rights. These people are not equal with normal people.” The president himself has pledged to “defend children from LGBT ideology”, an alleged worldview that he compared to communism in its power to destroy Polish values.
With wearying predictability, Poland’s populist right tends to ramp up its culture wars when election time comes around. Muslim migrants have previously found themselves depicted by PiS as the enemy within. The rhetoric is cynical and manipulative, intended to mobilise a deeply conservative, mostly rural base. But the licence given in recent years to extreme prejudice has steadily changed the reality of LGBT lives on the ground. Around eighty municipal and local governments, covering great swaths of Polish territory, have declared themselves “free from LGBT ideology”. Pride marches have been attacked and banned. The 48-year-old Mr Duda, a devout Catholic, has promised to ban LGBT education in schools and refused to allow same-sex marriage.With wearying predictability, Poland’s populist right tends to ramp up its culture wars when election time comes around. Muslim migrants have previously found themselves depicted by PiS as the enemy within. The rhetoric is cynical and manipulative, intended to mobilise a deeply conservative, mostly rural base. But the licence given in recent years to extreme prejudice has steadily changed the reality of LGBT lives on the ground. Around eighty municipal and local governments, covering great swaths of Polish territory, have declared themselves “free from LGBT ideology”. Pride marches have been attacked and banned. The 48-year-old Mr Duda, a devout Catholic, has promised to ban LGBT education in schools and refused to allow same-sex marriage.
As election day nears, however, there are heartening signs that the old polarising playbook may be misfiring. During the country’s Covid-19 lockdown, when Mr Duda was well ahead in the polls, the government unsuccessfully tried to rush the poll through by postal vote. But the subsequent entry into the race of Warsaw’s liberal mayor, Rafal Trzaskowski, has spooked the president’s team. Despite relentless attacks from state media, it seems that Mr Trzaskowski may do well enough to force a second round run-off on 12 July. At that point, polls suggest, opposition supporters would unite and all bets would be off. As election day nears, however, there are heartening signs that the old polarising playbook may be misfiring. During the country’s Covid-19 lockdown, when Mr Duda was well ahead in the polls, the government unsuccessfully tried to rush the poll through by postal vote. But the subsequent entry into the race of Warsaw’s liberal mayor, Rafał Trzaskowski, has spooked the president’s team. Despite relentless attacks from state media, it seems that Mr Trzaskowski may do well enough to force a second round run-off on 12 July. At that point, polls suggest, opposition supporters would unite and all bets would be off.
Unexpectedly then, Europe’s first major election since the Covid-19 pandemic struck could prove a turning point. Poland has become a civil rights outlier in the EU, but a defeat for Mr Duda would be the most serious reverse for the populist right since he became president in 2015. The presidency’s veto powers would allow Mr Trzaskowski to block PiS’s legislative agenda, including controversial judicial reforms.Unexpectedly then, Europe’s first major election since the Covid-19 pandemic struck could prove a turning point. Poland has become a civil rights outlier in the EU, but a defeat for Mr Duda would be the most serious reverse for the populist right since he became president in 2015. The presidency’s veto powers would allow Mr Trzaskowski to block PiS’s legislative agenda, including controversial judicial reforms.
Mr Duda will hope that praise and support from Donald Trump, during a visit to Washington this week, will consolidate mainstream support in a fiercely pro-American country. But eyeing the narrowing polls, some of Mr Duda’s supporters fear that, for once, aggressive and divisive rhetoric against minorities may have backfired. For Poland’s shamefully ostracised LGBT community, that would be a cause for celebration and relief.Mr Duda will hope that praise and support from Donald Trump, during a visit to Washington this week, will consolidate mainstream support in a fiercely pro-American country. But eyeing the narrowing polls, some of Mr Duda’s supporters fear that, for once, aggressive and divisive rhetoric against minorities may have backfired. For Poland’s shamefully ostracised LGBT community, that would be a cause for celebration and relief.