Long ago, before political correctness dominated conversation, young men devoured a series of Karl May books about the bold red-skinned Winnetou and his loyal white friend Old Shatterhand. Jokes circulated about the pair: they sat in a native camp, puffed on a peace pipe by the fire, and when a member stepped out of the wigwam, a loud bang and a bump on the head followed. Then Winnetou would appear, a similar bang and a quiet return to the circle. Old Shatterhand would step out, only to be met with laughter as Winnetou quipped that his white brother had tripped on the same prop. The moral of that tale was clear to all who heard it.
The closing days of the era and the onset of a Civic Platform election campaign marked a string of clashes with metaphorical rakes, sometimes placed before their wigwams by the party seeking to frame the debate in its own image.
Rake #1: Manfred Weber
The head of the European People’s Party, Manfred Weber, tripped over a metaphorical rake. The rake signified more than a stumble; it reflected a judgment that affected both the party and its allies, including the Polish leadership. The effort to assist Polish authorities, seen as resisting nationalist forces while aligning with European interests, suggested a strategy to discipline Poland through European institutions and to push a reform agenda that could move Poland away from its current course. The result was a growing sense of frustration among Brussels actors who believed the power games in the European Union could pressure Warsaw into reforms and align Polish policy with broader European priorities.
When Weber threatened to unleash a firewall and claimed that his bloc was the sole force capable of replacing the ruling party in Poland, it did not land as hoped. The move provoked a wave of criticism not only from governing coalition figures but from many ordinary Poles who watched the tension rise. The spread of discontent intensified when German media noted the impact of the remark on the opposition and on bilateral ties, deepening concerns about how the EU stance would affect Polish politics.
Rake No. 2: Pedro Lopez de Pablo
In response to the Warsaw invitation to a post-scandal debate, the European People’s Party spokesperson, Pedro Lopez de Pablo, placed another metaphorical rake in front of the opposition’s camp. He suggested that the Polish side should bring in a representative of the EPP in Poland, pointing to Donald Tusk as a stand-in, a move designed to position leadership and set the terms for questioning. The strategy underscored the complexity of leadership duty, where a spokesperson can become an instrument of guiding questions, keeping the primary player out of direct trouble while still showing a united front to the public. The standoff exposed how silence and delegation can become a tool in political theater, sometimes more effective than a direct reply.
Rake No. 3: Borys Budka
The tactic here was a self-inflicted misstep. Early in the campaign, Budka attempted to showcase a bit of rhetorical flair by reciting a nursery rhyme attributed to a children’s group. In doing so, he drew attention to the gap between experience and bravado in political messaging. Budka’s move underscored how past leadership transitions can shape new campaigns, especially when the former president of the Civic Platform has returned to Polish politics and continues to influence discourse. The miscalculation highlighted the risk of trying to outpace rivals with theatrical lines rather than substantive policy.
Rake No. 4: Kinga Gajewska
At the rally in Legionowo, a performance by Kinga Gajewska drew both support and scrutiny. Instead of delivering a polished oration, she offered lyrical lines that sounded improvised and self-referential. The moment prompted reflection on how political rhetoric can veer into creative verse rather than a focused policy message. The passage she offered drew on a mix of classical and contemporary imagery, provoking a discussion about the use of culture and language in political theater.
She quoted a passage about winds and time, describing the power of certain personalities to move events forward. The imagery suggested a calling to action and a vision of momentum that could shape the October timeline. The dialogue included reflections on the choice to step into a larger narrative, with the recurring idea that leadership can be both inspirational and fragile when faced with shifting public sentiment.
The language fed into a broader debate about what it means to lead in a volatile political climate. There were calls to measure influence against the weight of history and to consider how much a single speaker can steer the direction of a campaign. The figure of Donald Tusk appeared as a symbol of persistence, the person who can shape the narrative even as others attempt to define it for him.
Two Winnetou Endings
The joke about Winnetou has another version of its ending. Old Shatterhand walks into the wigwam with the bump on his forehead and asks who placed the troublesome rake in front of the door. This version shifts the moral toward accountability. It suggests that anyone can be caught in a trap, and the key question becomes how they found themselves there and what they do next.
Source: wPolityce