The election campaign in Poland has begun with tough talk, military themes and polarisation as the main themes of the campaign.
ADVERTISEMENTHowever, playing only on emotions rather than political arguments may not bring the parties the success they expect.
United Right supporter, Nathan Organ, suggests that politicians should provide more detail.
“One of the main topics should be security, because of such a geopolitical situation,” he says.
“I can see specific proposals and actions of Law and Justice in this regard. I am a bit lacking in specifics, visions, and proposals for a specific action plan from the opposition parties.
“I miss having a substantive debate. Of course, there must be a simple concrete message but it cannot replace the party’s programme entirely.”
Some political analysts suggest this year’s campaign language and message are the result of the tense situation in the region and the country.
Professor Malgorzata Moleda-Zdziech is from the Warsaw School of Economics.
“Deepened militarisation of the language is, of course, understandable due to the ongoing war,” she explains.
“The parties are trying to show that they are proposing some actions which provide security, and the need for security is basic.
“But on the other hand, the brutalisation of the campaign in Poland stems from a deeper polarisation.”
Protesters outside the headquarters of the public television station accuse the broadcaster and the ruling party of ignoring the needs of opposition voters. For them, raising the topic of security is not enough; neither is the harsh language of the campaign.
ADVERTISEMENTSupporter of the Civic Coalition, Katarzyna Biel, said: “We have to separate the language and slogans of the ruling party from the broadly understood opposition. The ruling party was probably mismanaged by media specialists because the slogan ‘Safe future for Poles’ is very weak.
“The language of the opposition is distasteful, insulting to the intelligence of even its supporters. Evidently, there is a concern, probably justified, about a possible bad election result.”
Confederation supporter, Maciej Korneluk, believes the Nationalist Party Confederation seems to be benefitting most from the fight between the two largest parties. By adopting softer language their popularity has risen.
“The mainstream parties of Law and Justice and Civic Platform – I regard their campaigns rather negatively – I think that they care more about the electoral process rather than the real needs of Poles.
The Confederation party is a bit different – it rather tries not to get involved in any media squabbles.”
ADVERTISEMENTAs the picnics, parades, and meetings continue across the country, politicians compete for votes. However, experts suggest it is the very last emotion just before the poll which can determine the election results. So far, nobody knows what that is.
