Polish conservatives use a patriotic celebration to rally behind their presidential candidate

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poles traveled from across the country to the nation’s capital for a patriotic demonstration Saturday celebrating 1,000 years since the coronation of the first Polish king. They danced the Polonaise in historic costumes, sang the national anthem, invoked their Catholic beliefs and chanted slogans in support of a conservative candidate running in next month’s presidential election.

The march of thousands was supported by Law and Justice party, the conservative populists who governed Poland for eight years until 2023, when a centrist, pro-European Prime Minister Donald Tusk took over. Law and Justice is hoping to regain power in the next general election. In the meantime it is fighting to elect an ally as president who is commander-in-chief and has influence over foreign policy and veto power over laws.

Law and Justice leader Jarosław Kaczyński called on “all patriots” to join the march, which culminated in a gathering in front of the Royal Castle where the party’s candidate, 42-year-old Karol Nawrocki, spoke to a supportive crowd. The castle, rebuilt after it was destroyed by Germans during World War II, is a symbol of the nation’s history and resilience.

A historian, Nawrocki said Poland today must safeguard “this heritage, this beauty, this crown that was given to us.”

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”We want a Poland with aspirations, with dreams, because we are committed to those who came before us and to those who will come after us,” Nawrocki said. “We want a great Poland!”

There were a few U.S. flags amid a sea of Polish flags, and supporters also expressed support for U.S. President Donald Trump. One of them, Stanislaw Bieniek, 81, said he fled communist Poland for the U.S., where he gained citizenship. “My whole family voted for Trump, and now I live here and I will vote for Nawrocki,” he said.

The parade came as the party seeks to generate momentum around Nawrocki, who has been struggling in the polls against the front-runner, the liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski.

Nawrocki has also faced a challenge from the candidate of a far-right party, Confederation, who has been growing more popular and threatening Law and Justice’s hold over the nation’s sizeable conservative electorate.

Saturday’s event was a celebration of the 1025 coronation of Poland’s first king, Bolesław the Brave, a historic moment that affirmed Poland’s national independence. It also celebrated another anniversary in Polish history: 500 years since the Duchy of Prussia paid formal allegiance to the Polish king in 1525.

That has emotional resonance for some in a country that suffered German aggression for significant periods in its history.

Organizers estimated 100,000 people took part, though city hall — run by Trzaskowski — put the number at 20,000.

Trzaskowski has been polling at over 30% while Nawrocki is at just over 20%. The two joined a debate on Friday evening seeking to energize their traditional electorates and win new votes. The chaotic organization and disagreements about the format of the debate underlined the deep political divisions in Poland.

An election on May 18, with a likely runoff June 1, will determine whether Law and Justice keeps an ally in the presidential palace. The incumbent, Andrzej Duda, is an ally, but his second and final term ends this summer. He has used his veto power to block some elements of Tusk’s agenda.