For a long time, commentators from the Strefa Wolnego Słowa media have warned against a scenario of the “Braunization” of the right-wing side of the political scene in the eyes of public opinion, especially in the context of successive polls showing rising support for Confederation of the Polish Crown led by Grzegorz Braun. Such a plan could benefit the ruling camp. There was no need to wait long for its implementation. Today, the government spokesperson, Adam Szłapka, openly glued Grzegorz Braun to Law and Justice (PiS).
Opinion polls published in recent months have shown a growing number of supporters of Grzegorz Braun’s Confederation of the Polish Crown, even turning his grouping into the third political force in the country. Such a scenario – as commentators from Strefa Wolnego Słowa pointed out in numerous analyses – may suit the Civic Coalition and Donald Tusk, especially ahead of the approaching parliamentary elections in 2027. How so?
The Michnik-style face of the right
On the one hand – pars pro toto – it gives the right-wing camp in Poland a radical face, which the opposing side then exploits in its narrative.
“Braun fits perfectly into this image of the right that for years has been portrayed in propaganda by media such as Gazeta Wyborcza or TVN. This imaginary right-winger embodied all the worst traits – of course equally imagined – of a dreadful, backward Polishness that stands in the way of the better part of society becoming ‘true Europeans’,” wrote Dawid Wildstein.
In his view, Braun plays a role in destroying the anti-communist and pro-independence Polish right in a way that Tusk himself could never afford.
“Every quarrel between Tusk or Czarzasty and Braun benefits both Tusk and Czarzasty, as well as Braun. Tusk increases his chances of staying in power, Braun his chances of crossing the 5 percent threshold. After Braun’s idiotic statements about gas chambers, Tusk could shine – here is how ugly the face of the right looks. And Braun built his recognizability. There is only one loser in these brawls – the independence camp. The more Braun takes away from PiS, the greater the chances of victory for KO,” pointed out Piotr Lisiewicz.
PiS cannot step into Braun’s shoes
“It is no secret that Confederation of the Polish Crown owes its success to radical language and presenting a large part of Polish issues in a way typical of populist opposition. (…) Entering such topics by people from Jarosław Kaczyński’s camp could permanently alienate many ‘normals’, who cannot imagine seeing PiS politicians speaking the language of, for example, Mateusz Piskorski, who is appearing more and more often alongside Braun – a politician suspected of spying for Russia and China, and the founder of the infamous party Zmiana,” emphasized Wojciech Mucha in his column.
For political purposes, Tusk and his coalition are scaring the public with Braun, “while positioning the PiS leader himself as an alleged future coalition partner of Confederation of the Polish Crown.”
PiS dressed in Braun’s robes would be an easy rival for the December 13 coalition to demonize and to build a dichotomy of “radicals (the right) – normals (the coalition).”
Szłapka stitches PiS together with Braun
Tusk’s government and its political surroundings are consistently pursuing this agenda, stitching PiS together with Confederation of the Polish Crown.
“It is important that we all have a sense of what is at stake in these elections. Because de facto today PiS is being run by Braun, because it is he who dictates what PiS politicians are supposed to say, because until now they did not speak so radically. The only thing left in PiS from the legacy they so often invoke of Lech Kaczyński are portraits hanging somewhere. The rest is now nothing but Braun. Today Kaczyński speaks Braun, and de facto PiS is Braun,” said government spokesperson Adam Szłapka openly today on Polsat News.