-OpEd-
WARSAW — The two main figures of Poland’s far-right Konfederacja (Confederation) party — Sławomir Mentzen and Krzysztof Bosak — have sent conciliatory signals to the LGBTQ+ community. But if the Konfederacja party stopped being homophobic, would it still be Konfederacja?
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“Let’s assume that each party has pro-LGBT views. Which one do you feel closest to?” That was a question that celebrity and model Jacek Jelonek — known mainly for his participation in Poland’s first gay reality show “Prince Charming — and his fiancé, Oliwier, were asked in the online program.
A bit amused, Jelonek said he’d vote for the far-right Konfederacja party. His fiancé said that he is “left-wing” and would vote for the centrist Civic Coalition (KO) led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Is something wrong with the compass? At the very least.
Yet many other people are having similar internal political dilemmas. Konfederacja, led by Mentzen and Bosak, has systematically worked to attract the LGBT community, women and young people — the core of the social change that has taken place in Poland over the past decade.
Increasingly inclusive
Does it sound abstract? Let’s look at the growing support for Konfederacja and Mentzen. I remember how during a meeting my colleague, who is also gay, answered a question about his political sympathies without any inhibition; he said he supported Konfederacja.
Konfederacja is, after all, a coalition of “national-libertarian” circles, which over the years has become increasingly “libertarian,” and the “national” character has become increasingly “inclusive.” It seems the party’s program and leaders’ attitudes are tailored to attract the widest possible range of voters who are disappointed with the current model of politics. That also includes the leftist and liberal electorate.
Bosak and Mentzen have consistently built a narrative, and are now reaping the fruits of that labor.
There are several reasons why, I believe, Konfederacja may become an attractive alternative for many young people with non-right-wing views. One of the main reasons is the proposal to depoliticize sexuality; Konfederacja circles have greatly evolved in talking about LGBT+ people.
Bosak and other nationalists come from extremely nationalist circles that have vulgarly and directly attacked individuals and organizations working for the LGBT+ community. Today, Bosak is far from that. In 2019, he invited homosexuals to the annual nationalist Independence March, making a distinction between “gay,” meaning an activist, and “homosexual,” meaning “someone who experiences homosexual tendencies but does not flaunt it.”
Over the past few years, Bosak and Mentzen have consistently built such a narrative, and they are now reaping the fruits of that labor.
Privatization of sex and common sense
Conservatives say that the issue of sexuality is a private matter of each person, and the state should not interfere in this in any way. Mentzen, speaking about the abolition of the inheritance tax, emphasized that Konfederacja is a party friendly to gays and lesbians. The reason? Because this tax, according to Mentzen, is paid mainly by homosexuals living in informal relationships.
Later in 2024, he even had to explain himself on the radio for allegedly supporting LGBT+ people and fighting for the liberal-leftist electorate. He argued that this was not a law intended to make life easier for homosexuals, but for everyone. In this way, Mentzen accepted “homosexuals” among those “everyone” whom Bosak invited to the Independence March five years earlier. This is an example of “common-sense” electoral logic.
Konfederacja also exploits an aversion to politics and the institutions of a democratic rule of law.
There is a lot of friction within Konfederacja circles as a result of this evolution. But polls and public opinion surveys clearly show that the strategy is effective. “Let’s forget about all this; it doesn’t matter who you are, we don’t ask about it” — that is the message.
In a word: if non-hetero-normative people keep their heads down, they won’t face homophobic attacks. In this political project, there is a place for Bosak’s “homosexual,” although not for the “gay” worldview. Consequently, this leads to the marginalization of all those identities that do not fit into the accepted majority social image.
Liberalism hiding a brown shirt
Konfederacja has transformed the alliance of right-wing parties into a circle that can be associated with economic freedom, freedom of speech and call for Poland’s technical improvement, modeled on a well-managed, publicly traded company.
Konfederacja’s success is that, under the guise of slogans of freedom and liberalism, it sells a dark and conservative vision of the world. It also exploits an aversion to politics and the institutions of a democratic rule of law.
Democracy is increasingly struggling in the eyes of many people.
Its leaders are convinced that they will turn the tables, which many people like. And it may come to the point that the victims will vote for their tormentor. Because Konfederacja would not be itself without its homophobic and anti-female elements — which are a direct result of the worldview that this alliance offers.
Success appeal
Some of the LGBT+ community and some women may vote for Mentzen and support Konfederacja because they appeal to the ethos of individual success. And people from these groups, like few others, owe their success and position in the world to that very attitude. Because the State, community and institutions have failed them and continue to fail them.
Konfederacja’s “liberalism” is an elegant suit hiding a brown shirt.
Democracy is increasingly struggling in the eyes of many people. That fuels not only pity but also hostility toward it. Konfederacja has drawn in voters who are fed up with all of this, and who believe that politics can be reduced to “common sense” business management.
But Konfederacja’s “liberalism” is a respectable suit hiding a brown shirt — something more and more people forget.
