In this Polish village, the political division is total: one half hates one presidential candidate, the other half the other

Cursing, Czeslaw Zarzycki (78) stops his lawn mower. The grass in the garden is too long. A layer of sweats on his forehead through the bright morning sun in the Polish village of Siekierczyn, close to the border with Germany and the Czech Republic. A conversation about politics suits him well during his fight with the grass.

« I don’t vote for thieves and false people, » says the muscular railway builder. « And I certainly don’t vote for that Nawrocki. » That is the presidential candidate of the National-Conservative PIS party, on Sunday he can vote for him in the second election round. « He has put an elderly person out of his apartment, the bastard. »

Nawrocki was discredited two weeks ago because he had bought an apartment cheaply in exchange for informal care – from reporting in the media he never showed help to the man who now lives in an institution. « I vote for Trzaskowski, I am a fan of him, » says Zarzycki about the liberal candidate of Donald Tusk (KO). « I think he is a reasonable person who speaks decent and is not a thief like his opponent, who … who … » – Scheldt words follow.

A little further in the village, Zenon Szostak (75) stands still in the middle of the road while a small rain shower is exaggerating. Although his house is less than a hundred meters, he has to rest for a while. « The knees, » says Szostak, he worked in agriculture for years. « Although I am actually left, I vote for Nawrocki. Trzaskowski – that’s a liar, a false man. He promises Golden Bergen and that’s just nonsense. » And the story about Nawrocki’s apartment? « Ah, lies, they come up with defamatory stories about candidates at every election. »

Siekierczyn is the example of the many years of polarization in Poland. During the first round of the presidential elections, two weeks ago, 699 people voted for the previously unknown historian and amateur boxer, Karol Nawrocki (42), supported by Pis, and 700 people on the pro-European mayor of Warshau Rafal Trzaskowski (53), the candidate of the Center-Liberale party. According to the polls, the second round becomes unprecedentedly exciting and, just like in Siekierczyn, every voice can make the difference.

The presidential elections are of great importance for the political future of Poland. In 2023, the ProDemocratic coalition led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk came to power with the promise to reform Poland, after public media, case law and state institutions were politized under Pis, which was in power from 2015 to 2023. But so far it has hardly been possible to reform Poland, because of the Veto Recht of President Andrzej Duda, a piss-loyalist.

If Trzaskowski becomes the next president, then Tusk can finally make his promises. Nawrocki wins, then this Pis-Loyalist, just like the current president, will probably block all legislation of the coalition. That will lead to a political crisis and probably new elections-of which the Radical-Right party Konfederacja can reap the benefits.

Family Day

In the Lint village of Siekierczyn, the political debate is mainly set in the heads of the people. Images of Nawrocki and Trzaskowski hang on fences from front gardens. Election posters are stuck on information boards. Along the road are Billboards with the image of fetuses and the face of Trzaskowski with the text ‘Trzaskowski = abortion slaughter in Poland’-part of an ultra-Catholic organizations that are against abortion. But the residents prefer not to talk openly about politics. And certainly not when there are fellow villagers in the area.

In the playground of the kindergarten, about a hundred parents and grandfathers and grandmother are present at the celebration of the family day-after father, mother, grandmother, and opa day the fifth annual celebration in which children do dances for family members. The conversation with the residents is pleasant – until it is about politics. Then they look away.

Traditionally, most people in Siekierczyn work in the countryside or in the coal mine about forty kilometers away. But since Poland’s accession to the European Union in 2004, more and more people have left for Germany and other neighboring countries for work. Around 20 percent of the residents in the region work in Germany. The European Union has visibly changed the village: the new asphalt road, the street lighting and the roof of the church could all be built thanks to money from Brussels.

Talking about politics, that’s how it comes, says car mechanic Ryszard (67), who doesn’t want his last name in the newspaper. « Then others will point your finger at you. » Although it is clear who he votes for: a poster of Nawrocki hangs in front of his garage. « His campaign employees came by one day and asked if they could hang the poster here, » says Ryszard as he squirts a dump truck. « Best, » he says.

Why Nawrocki? « Tusk wanted to increase the retirement age to 67, » he says, referring to an unpopular bill of more than ten years ago of the then Tusk government, which then lost the elections. « Then I was still chasing myself, » says Ryszard, who, although still in the garage, has been getting a retirement for two years. Many also avoid the conversation about politics indoors. There is often a fight between family and family members, different residents say. « As a result, two aunts in my family have not been talking to each other for years, » says a retired woman with a Nawrocki poster in her garden fence, she doesn’t want her name in the newspaper. « So I don’t say anything anymore. »

As loudly as it is on the street, politics sounds on the Polish televisions. From early in the morning until late in the evening, all news channels broadcast political programs – not just in election time. And it goes fast in that. Opponents make each other for thieves, communists and cheaters – the language you also hear on the street in Siekierczyn. Under the PIS governments (2015-2023) that language became harder and hostile. Pis turned the public channel TVP into a hateful propaganda channel and that led to even more extreme polarization.

The figureheads of that polarization are Donald Tusk and Jaroslaw Kaczynski. Both founded their party in 2001, respectively KO (earlier PO) and Pis, and since 2005 one of those two parties has always been in power. Millennials don’t know better or Poland has a two -part system. During the first round they voted en masse for alternative candidates such as the radical-right Slawwomir Mentzen and the left-wing Adrian Zandberg. Both called to an end to the ‘duopoly’ Popis.

Sewerage

More people noticed that in Siekierczyn one voice made the difference in the results of the first round. In a hurry, sub-minister Michal Jaros (development and technology) steps on his adidasjes from his BMW, records a video at the place name sign and the poster of the radical-right candidate Mentzen of the information board. « Every voice counts, » he says, hanging a new poster, from Trzaskowski.

« These elections are of vital importance for Poland, » says Jaros. « It is a choice between isolationism and geopolitical cooperation. A president who represents the political interests of one party or the interests of all Poles. A choice between the values ​​of the East or the West. »

Mayor Grzegorz Wieczorek proudly lists to the sub -minister of the nearby town of Luban. He attributes the success of Trzaskowski in the first round in this rural region to the work he has done with his colleagues. « Solving problems, » he says. « The sewerage, the waste collection. » According to him, ringing with party brochures does not convince the voter. « Tackling problems, » says the mayor, who was still in front of the class last year as a teacher.

But in Siekierczyn, that urge to act Trzaskowski has yielded little. Five years ago, when he also participated in the presidential elections, he received exactly the same number of votes in the first round: seven hundred. The difference with five years ago is that PIS has lost four hundred votes to mainly ultra -right candidates. Many of them are expected to vote for Nawrocki in the second round.

Just like five years ago, when President Duda received more than 400,000 votes more than Trzaskowski, the question is who knows how to mobilize most people. Tusk won the parliamentary elections in 2023 thanks to the unprecedented high turnout of 74 percent-especially young people and women took the end of the PIS era. This campaign focuses Trzaskowski primarily on the right -wing voter, but runs the risk that many voters will stay at home on the left. They are already disappointed in the Tusk government, which promised partner registration for LGBTI, climate measures and relaxation of the abortion rules, but did not live up to this.

Naval friend

« That one voice, that’s me, » laughs Agnieszka Sawicka (35), who walks with her son on the edge of the village. She had forgotten to register for the first round.

Her family is divided, she says. In principle, everyone votes for Pis, except for her grandmother’s sister, who votes for Ko. « There is no more contact with her. » Although everyone votes for the same party, there is always a fight about politics at home. And outdoors too. That’s how she got it on with a good study friend. « She got angry because I didn’t vote for Trzaskowski, » says Sawicka. « There is war from talking about politics. »

People have the simple thought that someone is only a friend if he thinks the same thing

At home she doubted if she would tell her parents that she actually supports the radical-right Mentzen and not Nawrocki from Pis. It led to chagrin with her father. « Why can’t we talk about it normally? » Sawicka wonders. « Everyone has different views and the right to express it, right? But there is so much hatred. On the internet, on television. People are excited, have the simple thought that someone is only a friend as he thinks the same and turn against each other. »

Sawicka finds that mutual hatred tiring. « We need a country where not one party is in power, but where compromises are made, » she says. « A compromise is a victory for no one, nor a loss. » But an end to the ‘duop oil’, she does not see that happening after these presidential elections.

Yet she is going to vote. On Nawrocki, although she finds him less authentic than Trzaskowski and she thinks he will be a play ball from Pis. « But I am very religious, » says Sawicka. « And I ultimately choose the least harm. » She is not happy with any of the two candidates. Just like many Poles, on the left and right side.

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