Hołownia remains confident that he can win the presidency, yet he warns about the challenges posed by Sławomir Mentzen, the Confederation’s candidate. Speaking at a gathering in Lublin, he described the Confederation as a group with extreme views and a temperament that can be unpredictable.
At a separate press conference in Lublin, Hołownia expanded on his claim that a head‑to‑head victory over Mentzen is within reach, citing polls he described as casting doubt on the strength of the rival bloc.
He contended that Mentzen and the Confederation pose a risk to Poland, highlighting the movement’s hardline stances and the erratic impulses that drive its agenda.
Hołownia underscored this assessment with a direct and pointed emphasis.
How did Hołownia discover the Confederation?
Hołownia pointed to fractures inside the Confederation, noting multiple strands and two presidential contenders: Mentzen and Grzegorz Braun, who was expelled from the group. He added that the bloc holds four seats in the European Parliament, with seven MEPs in total.
He also claimed that several Confederation‑affiliated figures have circulated a pro‑Russian message, based on what he has heard in conversations and public remarks.
Hołownia pressed the issue further, tying these concerns to the broader direction of the movement.
He cited incidents often connected to Mentzen’s rhetoric, arguing that the movement has shown repeated signals of exclusion toward minority communities.
He argued that such proposals amount to a presidency program that would challenge the rights of individuals and the country’s inclusive status within the European Union.
He warned that the rise of the Confederation could imperil women’s rights, pointing to support for tighter abortion measures and approval of a tribunal’s ruling on the matter.
Hołownia argued that Europe faces turbulence and that Poland should be a steady beacon rather than embarking on experiments that might hand the presidency to the Confederation.
He said Poland does not need experiments that weaken the health care system, push for fully voluntary private insurance, or curb women’s rights or the nation’s Western alignment. The choice, he added, would decide whether Poland stays aligned with the West or yields to pressure from Eastern actors.
That was the core of his message.
Hołownia warned that Mentzen and the party backing him threaten the country’s stability, and he pledged to oppose that risk.
He offered more observations on the political landscape as the campaign unfolds.
Voters face a choice among contenders, with Hołownia, Mentzen, and other candidates offering different paths in a crowded field.
Historically, polls showed solid support for Mentzen at times, yet Hołownia stressed that the race is only starting and three months remain for changes.
He recalled a prior cycle when the Confederation surged in polls only to falter, warning history could repeat itself.
Asked about strategies to beat Mentzen, Hołownia declined to share a plan, saying results would come from fair competition and that honest campaigning would guide his path to victory.
Observers may interpret the remarks as a sign of mounting worry about the Confederation and possible shifts in Poland’s political course.
Opponents challenged the decision to run in a crowded field, and questioned whether backing another candidate within the coalition might have been the smarter move.