Poland’s ruling PiS leader wants to debate EPP’s Weber before elections

Poland’s ruling Law and Justice (PiS) leader Jarosław Kaczyński said he wants to debate European People’s Party leader Manfred Weber, with PiS accusing the German politician of attempting to meddle in national elections.

Scheduled for 15 October, the election campaign will see longtime heavyweight rivals PiS’ Kaczyński and the head of the Civic Platform (PO), Donald Tusk, battle it out. Once PO’s co-founder, the party’s current leader returned to Poland two years ago after a period in Brussels where he first served as European Council President and then as Weber’s predecessor as EPP party head.

Asked about a recording Tusk tweeted asking whether the two would debate, Kaczyński said he would do so with Weber.

“Dear Jarosław, there is no reason for fear or shame. With me, (a debate) will be in Polish,” Tusk said in response, referring to Kaczyński’s limited foreign language abilities. “An hour-long debate and the fear is over”, Tusk added.

Weber’s interview for the Frankfurter Allgemeine earlier this year sparked outrage among PiS politicians, as he described the EPP as “the only force able to stop PiS and re-introduce Poland into Europe”.

He also dispelled rumours about the EPP’s potential cooperation with PiS and other European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group members. He cited a need to build “a firewall” against Kaczyński’s party instead.

The Polish ruling camp called Weber’s statements an attempt to interfere in the country’s elections by either the EPP or Weber’s native Germany. Last week, the parliament adopted a resolution in which the lawmakers pledged to counteract what was said to be illegal meddling in Polish elections.

The last televised debate between Kaczyński and Tusk occurred in 2007, also shortly before the national election. Most media and pundits agreed that Tusk did much better then, pointing to the televised debate as one of the factors that led to PiS losing power that year.

Many believe that since then, Kaczyński avoids debates with Tusk, despite the latter recently repeatedly stating his readiness for them.

(Aleksandra Krzysztoszek | EURACTIV.pl)