At a campaign rally in Bydgoszcz, Rafał Trzaskowski lashed out at his main rival, Karol Nawrocki, accusing him and the Law and Justice party (PiS) of hypocrisy.
“My main opponent, Mr. Karol Nawrocki, says he sleeps with a Bible under his pillow. […] PiS constantly tries to lecture us on how we should live. They’re a bunch of hypocrites who talk the talk but don’t even follow the most fundamental commandments. The seventh: Thou shalt not steal,” Trzaskowski thundered.
Trzaskowski’s attempt to frame himself as a devout Catholic continues – this time by invoking the Decalogue.
Despite skipping out on a presidential debate hosted by TV Republika the previous day, Trzaskowski hit the campaign trail again, appearing in Bydgoszcz alongside Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski from Donald Tusk’s government.
As expected, much of the speech was aimed at the opposition and President Andrzej Duda. Sikorski, never one to hold back, quipped that even if “Vice-Tusk” were to win the presidency, he still wouldn’t be the one governing. Following that logic, one might ask – what’s the point of running at all?
“Let me share a secret. The president in Poland does not govern. Andrzej Duda knows that – he’s even a member of a club of presidents who aren’t heads of government. The president’s job is to ensure that successive governments uphold the Constitution. Unfortunately, Duda has failed even at that – he’s broken the Constitution himself,” Sikorski said, directly attacking the sitting president.
That was just the beginning. When Trzaskowski took the stage, he escalated even further.
Right out of the gate, he boldly claimed that Poland currently holds “a leadership role in the European Union.” A questionable assertion, considering that, despite holding the presidency of the Council of the EU, major summits continue to be hosted outside Polish borders. Not to mention that Germany has been sending migrants back to Poland with no resistance from Warsaw.
The level of respect foreign leaders supposedly have for Poland was also called into question during Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s visit to Kyiv. Online commentators mocked the trip, saying, “He turned a serious matter into a farce.”
Nevertheless, Trzaskowski insisted:
“It’s important what role we play in the European Union, and today that role is a leadership one. You can see that everywhere. Today in Kyiv, you see the Polish Prime Minister, the British Prime Minister, the German Chancellor, and the French President. They are all working for a just peace – in the interest of the EU, of Europe, and of Poland,” he argued. “Never in our history have we been so strong, never have we led Europe like this.”
Later in his speech, Trzaskowski shifted tone once again – this time presenting himself as a defender of values, morality, and faith. Taking aim at Karol Nawrocki over a media-hyped scandal involving an apartment, he declared:
“The last few weeks have shown us that we need to remind people of the most basic values. We need to talk about honesty. It’s essential that the President of the Republic be honest and selfless.”
Then came the dramatic invocation of scripture:
“My main rival, Mr. Karol Nawrocki, claims he sleeps with a Bible under his pillow. […] PiS is constantly trying to tell us how to live our lives. A gang of hypocrites who preach, yet don’t follow even the most important commandments. The seventh: Thou shalt not steal.”
Let’s Not Forget…
On May 8, 2024, Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski issued a directive introducing “Equal Treatment Standards” for the city government. Among other things, the guidelines state:
“In public areas of city buildings and during city-organized events, no symbols associated with any specific religion or faith may be displayed (e.g., on walls, desks). This does not apply to personal religious symbols worn by employees, such as medallions, tattoos, or wristbands.”
“City events are to remain secular, meaning they should not include religious elements like prayers, services, or blessings.”
The order sparked a media firestorm, with critics accusing Trzaskowski of banning religious symbols, including crosses. Later, when the controversy flared up again, Trzaskowski claimed he had never ordered anyone to remove crosses. A similar flip-flop occurred around Christmas: while he had previously emphasized that Poland is a secular state, just months before the presidential election, he was seen offering warm Christmas greetings.