Far-Right Candidate Mentzen Claims Possible Endorsement from Polish President Duda
Speculation rises over potential presidential endorsement as Sławomir Mentzen discusses recent meeting with Duda.
WARSAW - Sławomir Mentzen, the far-right candidate for the Polish presidency representing the Confederation party, has claimed that outgoing President Andrzej Duda expressed support for two presidential candidates during a recent meeting at the presidential palace.
Mentzen spoke on a YouTube channel, stating that Duda mentioned he could envision backing either himself or PiS candidate Karol Nawrocki for the upcoming runoff election scheduled for May.
During the meeting, which took place last month, Mentzen reported that he engaged with Duda on various issues including Polish security, military affairs, and the defense industry.
These discussions have led to speculation regarding Duda potentially endorsing Mentzen, who is currently polling in third place and competing against Nawrocki, who is facing challenges in his campaign.
Mentzen indicated that while he believes Duda might favor Nawrocki due to his affiliation with the ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS), he remains a contender in the election process.
"It would be strange if it were otherwise.
After all, he comes from the ranks of PiS," Mentzen acknowledged.
In response to rumors of a possible coalition government between his Confederation party and PiS, Mentzen dismissed the notion as mere speculation.
The idea of a coalition was recently suggested by Andrzej Anusz, a policy expert at the Piłsudski Institute.
Political commentator Anusz noted that should Nawrocki advance to the runoff, Mentzen might consider endorsing him, contingent on Confederation’s ability to nominate the prime minister in a potential coalition government after the 2027 parliamentary elections.
The Confederation has positioned itself as opposing both the PiS and the current government, advocating for a distinct political identity.
Current polling data from the Pollster Institute reveals that Mentzen has slipped from second to third place.
Rafał Trzaskowski of Donald Tusk’s Civic Platform continues to lead the polls at 35%, followed by Nawrocki at 23%, with Mentzen trailing behind at 19%.
This shift in support for Mentzen may correlate with comments he made regarding abortion during an interview with journalist Krzysztof Stanowski, who has also announced his candidacy for president.
Branding expert Bartłomiej Machnik from Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw has analyzed the potential impact of these remarks on public perception.
In his interview, Mentzen reiterated his strong position against abortion in all circumstances, which includes cases of rape.
"We have no right to kill another person just because they upset us, are unpleasant to us, or could seriously harm our lives.
We do not kill innocent people—I believe this is very important," he expressed.
Following considerable backlash, Mentzen sought to clarify his earlier statements, emphasizing in a subsequent discussion with Rymanowski that he views rape as a 'great tragedy,' and did not equate it to being merely 'unpleasant.'
Mentzen spoke on a YouTube channel, stating that Duda mentioned he could envision backing either himself or PiS candidate Karol Nawrocki for the upcoming runoff election scheduled for May.
During the meeting, which took place last month, Mentzen reported that he engaged with Duda on various issues including Polish security, military affairs, and the defense industry.
These discussions have led to speculation regarding Duda potentially endorsing Mentzen, who is currently polling in third place and competing against Nawrocki, who is facing challenges in his campaign.
Mentzen indicated that while he believes Duda might favor Nawrocki due to his affiliation with the ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS), he remains a contender in the election process.
"It would be strange if it were otherwise.
After all, he comes from the ranks of PiS," Mentzen acknowledged.
In response to rumors of a possible coalition government between his Confederation party and PiS, Mentzen dismissed the notion as mere speculation.
The idea of a coalition was recently suggested by Andrzej Anusz, a policy expert at the Piłsudski Institute.
Political commentator Anusz noted that should Nawrocki advance to the runoff, Mentzen might consider endorsing him, contingent on Confederation’s ability to nominate the prime minister in a potential coalition government after the 2027 parliamentary elections.
The Confederation has positioned itself as opposing both the PiS and the current government, advocating for a distinct political identity.
Current polling data from the Pollster Institute reveals that Mentzen has slipped from second to third place.
Rafał Trzaskowski of Donald Tusk’s Civic Platform continues to lead the polls at 35%, followed by Nawrocki at 23%, with Mentzen trailing behind at 19%.
This shift in support for Mentzen may correlate with comments he made regarding abortion during an interview with journalist Krzysztof Stanowski, who has also announced his candidacy for president.
Branding expert Bartłomiej Machnik from Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw has analyzed the potential impact of these remarks on public perception.
In his interview, Mentzen reiterated his strong position against abortion in all circumstances, which includes cases of rape.
"We have no right to kill another person just because they upset us, are unpleasant to us, or could seriously harm our lives.
We do not kill innocent people—I believe this is very important," he expressed.
Following considerable backlash, Mentzen sought to clarify his earlier statements, emphasizing in a subsequent discussion with Rymanowski that he views rape as a 'great tragedy,' and did not equate it to being merely 'unpleasant.'
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