Ruling Polish PiS MP accuses Weber of spreading ‘Hitler-like’ propaganda

Statements by the leader of the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), Manfred Weber, about Poland’s ruling camp are nothing more than the spreading of propaganda reminiscent of Hitler’s time, according to the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) MP Tadeusz Cymański.

Cymański mainly referred to an interview given by Weber to Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, in which the EPP chief spoke of the need for his party to “build a firewall” against PiS and called the EPP the only force able to replace PiS Poland.

The interview immediately sparked outrage among PiS members, who accused Weber of attempts to meddle in Polish elections.

Interviewed by Wirtualna Polska news outlet on Wednesday, Cymański encouraged everyone to read publications by former minister Jan Rokita, published by right-wing Sieci weekly, in which he analysed Weber’s rhetoric. “It is a language similar to Hitler’s propaganda,” he said.

The Polish lawmaker also highlighted Weber’s comments about the German AfD, France’s far-right leader Marine Le Pen, which Weber called “radicals”, while referring to Poland’s ruling PiS as EPP’s “political enemies.” This was “a surprising novum” in Christian Democrats’ rhetoric concerning Poland, as Rokita argued in his article.

As for the EU funds from the Recovery and Resilience Fund, Poland still has not received them due to the ongoing rule of law spat with the European Commission, Cymański said it is actually up to Weber whether the funds are issued.

“We speak on how a state (Germany) may brazenly interfere in Polish affairs. That person (Weber) is so influential that it depends on him whether we get the money,” he added.

In an apparent reaction to Weber’s statements, Poland’s PiS-dominated parliament adopted a resolution last week pledging to counteract any act of trying to meddle in the country’s electoral process.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki published a film about Weber on X (previously Twitter). He said the EPP leader would not manage to influence the Polish elections, but “that politician still likes political rows.”

According to Morawiecki, Weber has already been criticised by MEPs, including from his own party, for undemocratic rules, arrogance and political unpredictability. As he worked closely with ex-German chancellor Angela Merkel, he helped her make political mistakes, such as working towards thawing relations with Russia, he added.

His accusations come ahead of the national elections scheduled for 15 October.

While PiS has the best chance to win a third consecutive term as it currently polls at 33.8%, its main rival, the centre-liberal Civic Coalition (KO), which happens to be a member of Weber’s EPP, currently comes in second with 28.5%.

KO is led by former European Council President and ex-Prime Minister Donald Tusk, PiS’ longtime main political adversary, particularly on the European stage.

Kaczyński recently said he would like to debate with Weber before the Polish elections, though Tusk proposed to debate him instead – an offer the PiS head has not yet responded to.

(Aleksandra Krzysztoszek | EURACTIV.pl)