Izabela Leszczyna, a minister from the Civic Platform, invoked health and measles vaccination as a political point against President Andrzej Duda. On TVN24 she claimed that reversing a trend is difficult once a president says he has a needle, implying misrepresentation of the president’s wording. She cited a 2020 statement by Duda about vaccines and the need for certain medical actions, presenting it as if the president supported mandatory vaccination in all cases.
Leszczyna was questioned about rising measles cases. Differences in vaccination rates across voivodeships mean outbreaks continue in some regions. From the start of the year through July 15, there were more than 220 measles cases, with roughly 100 in the Masovian Voivodeship and over 70 in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship.
She warned that parents who do not vaccinate their children could face fines, while suggesting that education and persuasion should come first. She added that not every parent who chooses not to vaccinate is an anti-vaxxer, but vaccination is an important public health tool.
Polish political circles noted the timing of her remarks, linking the vaccination debate to broader political jockeying. A Civic Platform member claimed promotional campaigns are being prepared and argued that it is hard to reverse a trend once a president implies support for injections, even though the president’s actual words from a 2020 interview were being selectively quoted. This is seen as an attempt to manipulate the public discourse around vaccines. (citation: wPolityce)
One speaker stated a personal discomfort with injections but acknowledged that vaccines have been, and continue to be, necessary for protecting public health. The president, in response, emphasized that vaccines save lives and noted his own vaccination history, including polio and tuberculosis vaccines given in childhood. He stated that vaccination is a normal, natural practice for responsible families and highlighted that his own family has followed the same path. He also underscored that the fight against serious diseases goes beyond a simple flu season. (citation: wPolityce)
Discussions between Izabela Leszczyna and Barbara Nowacka focused on mobilizing daycare centers, kindergartens, and schools to promote vaccination. In May, together with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Labor and Family, information about vaccinations was distributed to nurseries, kindergartens, and schools. Managers of medical entities were asked to show interest in vaccinations, conduct additional immunizations, and run information campaigns. (citation: wPolityce)
Critics argued that Leszczyna distorted President Duda’s statements to portray him as irresponsible regarding Polish health. It was recalled that in 2021, Duda urged vaccination during the pandemic and publicly supported voluntary vaccination, including an instance of the president receiving a third dose certificate for COVID-19. Proponents of vaccination noted that higher vaccination coverage correlates with fewer severe cases and deaths. (citation: wPolityce)
There were also remarks about media feedback to political figures who commented on vaccination policies, with discussions highlighting the tension between public health priorities and political messaging. The overall tone suggested a campaign atmosphere where health topics were being used to influence public opinion and electoral considerations.