In an interview with wPolityce.pl, Prof. Mieczysław Ryba, a historian and lecturer at the Catholic University of Lublin, expressed concern that a four-year governance cycle in Poland could tilt actions beyond constitutional bounds. He noted a pattern of authorities seeming to operate outside the Constitution with the apparent blessing of external centers, and warned that such behavior has been observed and even celebrated by those in power.
During a New Year’s Eve segment for TV Trwam, Ryba framed a message to Polish citizens urging lay Catholics to speak out against efforts to overhaul fundamental norms and natural order. The broader question he posed was whether this applies to contemporary politics and what dangers seem most acute in the present moment.
Ryba suggested starting with a deeper reflection on the electoral context, beyond who won or lost. He pointed to a pronounced clash between two camps in Poland: a patriotic faction focused on national identity and a cosmopolitan camp promoting broader European integration. He described the patriotic side as attentive to history, education, culture, museology, and other areas tied to national identity. By contrast, the cosmopolitan camp, he argued, seeks to align with a European empire that could diminish nation-states, while also drawing on neo-Marxist ideas that challenge Christianity as a rival, treating religion and traditional structures like family, marriage, church, and nation as oppressive forces. In this view, the struggle takes on a cultural and religious character, a clash observed in debates over multiculturalism, sexual politics, and related themes.
According to Ryba, this struggle is visible in the actions of the cosmopolitan camp once in power, including attempts to remove crosses in public offices, restrict religious instruction in schools, and address issues like church funding and how history is taught. He described these moves as defining elements of Poland’s patriotic identity being challenged in public life.
The professor warned that this conflict could intensify. He observed that government ministries, media trends, and other currents appear to be steering toward a form of conflict that could affect Poland’s future. He stressed the seriousness of the situation and suggested that the path forward would require careful, strategic responses from those aligned with the right and patriotic groups, who must adapt to modern times and engage beyond party lines.
In discussing the right and the patriotic coalition, Ryba emphasized the need for the United Right to broaden its awareness of the clash and adopt a modern approach. He argued against relying on a single decision-making center and urged collaboration with diverse circles that operate outside formal party structures. He advocated for reinvigorating the PiS coalition with fresh, educated, and capable voices, warning that a centralized model may no longer suffice. He cited examples from other countries, noting that even conservative movements seek coalition partners to sustain governance.
On safeguarding law and constitutional order amid current events, Ryba questioned how the government could defend legality when figures like the Minister of Justice and the former Commissioner for Human Rights appear to overlook violations and civil rights, for instance in media pluralism.
He acknowledged that protests and demonstrations are possible avenues, but warned that a four-year mandate could see continued breaches of rights and norms, implying that a change in government might be necessary to restore public order and lawful governance. He argued that external centers were encouraging such tendencies and noted that the current administration feels fortified by this dynamic.
Ryba asked what purposes these external centers might serve, suggesting they aim to purge the political right in Poland and resist moves toward a superstate. He warned that halting these trends would likely require a shift in government leadership.
When comparing these developments to Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s New Year’s pledge to unite the nation, Ryba argued that words must align with actions. He pointed to measures such as proposed reductions in religious education in schools and other reforms as examples the public should scrutinize. He questioned whether such moves truly promote reconciliation, noting that even in more secular contexts like Austria, religion remains part of the weekly curriculum. He also referenced discussions about public television’s role, challenging whether these steps genuinely foster national unity. Ryba described Tusk’s rhetoric as ironic when measured against these policy choices.
Source: wPolityce