In response to the audacious statements made by Manfred Weber, the leader of the European People’s Party (EPP), which includes the Civic Platform party (Platforma Obywatelska), Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has taken a stand. Through a video message shared on social media, Morawiecki firmly addresses the situation by stating, “The line has been crossed.”
As the head of the Polish government representing the parliamentary majority elected through democratic means, Morawiecki expresses his unwavering commitment to prevent the tarnishing of Polish elections. He emphasizes, “If Germany openly admits to intervening in Polish elections, let them do so openly. Mr. Weber, please refrain from using your aide, Donald Tusk. I invite you to engage in a debate.”
The clash stems from a recent interview with Weber on ZDF, where he discusses “combating” the Law and Justice party (PiS) and asserts that every political party must adhere to the rule of law. He particularly criticizes PiS for purportedly attacking the rule of law and free media.
Weber further adds, “Those who accept this can be democratic partners – competitors, political competitors, but democratic partners. And all others who do not adhere to this, like the German AfD, Le Pen in France, or PiS in Poland, are our enemies and will be opposed by us.”
The term “opposed” is decidedly key here, but it raises questions about its implications.
“The line has been crossed”
Premier Morawiecki promptly responds to these comments on his Twitter account, sharing a video where he firmly asserts, “Enough is enough.”
“As the prime minister of Poland’s government, representing the parliamentary majority elected in democratic elections, I will not allow Polish elections to be maligned in this manner. Manfred Weber, the German leader of the party to which the Civic Platform belongs, singled out Law and Justice on Sunday as one of the groups they will oppose. He labeled us their enemies…” says Prime Minister Morawiecki.
He also mentions that this is not the first time such remarks have been made and strongly emphasizes, “We’ve had enough.”
“If Germany openly admits to intervening in Polish elections, let them do so openly. Mr. Weber, please refrain from using your aide, Donald Tusk. I invite you to engage in a debate. Accusing us of violating democratic rules? Please convey that to millions of Poles in a televised confrontation. I invite you for a debate on October 2nd. In the coming days, we are prepared to discuss the details of such an encounter,” he declares.
A recurring pattern
It’s worth noting that Weber, who hails from the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU), has previously made similar statements.
“We are the only force that can replace PiS in Poland and lead the country back to Europe,” he stated in an interview with the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” in June.
“We advocate for a course that excludes radicals. AfD, Le Pen – these are our political enemies. I have formulated three conditions for any cooperation: for Europe, for Ukraine, for the rule of law. This way, we build a firewall against PiS,” Weber stated in a conversation with “FAZ.” These comments were also met with criticism from the ruling party in Poland.