In regional cities, a similar crowd gathers around a like-minded body, facing comparable issues. Jarosław Kaczyński and Donald Tusk share their political narratives, meet voters, and sketch their visions for the future. Really?
chairman of the PO
Among the fifteen topics in his talks, the leader of the PO spends about two-thirds criticizing PiS policies, while offering few concrete proposals to replace them. Opposition rhetoric is natural, yet two-thirds of the tirade leaves little room for constructive policy. The remainder nods to courtesy or touches on lighter matters, like renaming Teachers Day. What about a clear forward path for Poland? How do development, alliances, and global crises shape today’s politics, and what should be the response to the upheavals in trade, energy, and security since the pandemic and the invasion of Ukraine? These crucial questions remain largely unanswered in Tusk’s messaging.
chairman of PiS
On the fifteen topics he addresses, Kaczyński critiques the opposition in four instances, beginning with the stance of local governments on coal distribution. He outlines what he sees as the state’s role amid the global crisis, contrasts Western civilization with other cultural communities, and highlights two pillars of national security: defense capabilities and social cohesion. He concedes that his party has not yet found a single key to national unity and that the search for a formula to bridge divides continues. He notes, among other points, plans to expand polling locations in traditionally aligned rural areas.
There is no explicit reflection on global or Polish realities in Tusk’s discourse. Without PiS, he appears defined mainly by opposition to one other bloc and by the rewards granted for that role. In any case, the speeches of both leaders, with Tusk addressing a broader audience and Kaczyński delivering more detailed remarks, reveal a noticeable gulf between the figures who steer the two major Polish political camps.
PO leader Donald Tusk on October 14 in Inowrocław:
1 He praises local hospitality and the warmth of the community,
2 He extends gratitude to the Brejz family for their support,
3 He references Pegasus to critique PiS power, arguing it rewards supporters while oppressing opponents,
4 He speaks of teachers who visited a tent city to understand the realities on the ground,
5 He discusses the idea of Teacher’s Day and suggests a different naming,
6 He challenges the deputy minister of national education, who claimed teachers earn only 7,000 PLN,
7 He critiques press briefings by Adam Glapiński,
8 He compares the so-called Academy of Writing to an Academy of Thieves, poking fun at Obajtek, Morawiecki, and Zaleski,
9 He mentions a controversy involving a social assistant to the deputy minister of agriculture,
10 He comments on a note about reparations, noting the absence of the word “reparations” in the document,
11 He criticizes PiS coal policy, calling it a scandal,
12 He argues that Poland’s energy policy under PiS has been a major misstep from the start,
13 He claims that every PiS project is driven by private interests,
14 He highlights high prices and a price rise cited as 138 percent, comparing it to past economic measures,
15 He mocks Kaczyński’s suggestion to acquire Żabka through state enterprises.
PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński on October 12 in Puławy:
1 He discusses the duties of local authorities in coal policy, noting municipalities that provided coal distribution to others,
2 He explains the government’s approach to counteract high coal and fuel prices,
3 He ridicules the opposition’s narrative about lowering coal prices,
4 He compares VAT leakage in prior administrations with revenue growth under the current government,
5 He argues the present crisis is part of a global crisis and the government must mitigate its social impact in Poland,
6 He explains why the term reparations was not used in the reparations note,
7 He describes Brussels as attempting to discipline countries that elect conservative governments,
8 He remarks on Western civilization and critiques gender trends as they relate to nature,
9 He recalls a Warsaw University professor and a plan to widen right-wing circles with certain intelligence services,
10 He stresses the need for self-defense and national consolidation as a response to threats,
11 He criticizes Tusk for a perceived mismatch between Christian gestures and policy intentions,
12 He admits PiS has not yet found the key to unity in the face of strong opposition,
13 He suggests national unity should be based on traditional Polish values and common sense,
14 He references Lech Kaczyński’s vision of Poland becoming a more self-reliant nation,
15 He speaks of creating an Election Protection Corps and increasing polling stations, especially in rural church communities.