Estera Flieger: Karol Nawrocki’s party

Polish politicians like to present themselves as representatives of young people, but Estera Flieger argues that the image may be more useful than the substance.

Her commentary questions whether President Karol Nawrocki has more proposals for young voters than the governing coalition. Flieger’s answer is skeptical: the contest may be less about who speaks for young Poles and more about who better pretends to do so.

She writes that young voters are too few for politicians to focus on them especially, yet politicians still embrace the label. Youth suggests energy and confidence, making it an attractive campaign accessory. Flieger compares that image with claims to represent the middle class, a phrase that can appear meaningful while remaining broadly undefined.

The commentary also asks whether Jurata was genuinely more successful than Campus Polska, or whether it simply received enough publicity to appear so.