Super Express’s big presidential debate brought all candidates for the country’s top office together for the first time. Emotions ran high, and sharp exchanges and unexpected questions dominated the evening. Here is the second part of our roundup, featuring less-quoted but equally telling remarks from the candidates.
Candidates on Poland and politics: strong statements
Responsibility and independence
- Marek Jakubiak stressed that “we must come down to earth and talk about Poland, he does not tolerate lies. Nobody is scaring anyone. For a year and a half, there have been representatives here who answer for this government. And today the hypocrites answer for nothing”.
- Karol Nawrocki consistently emphasized the need for a strong army: “Today we need to build a strong Polish army, a 300,000-strong army”.
Responses to accusations and distance from political “tribes”
- Adrian Zandberg did not mince his words: “This patronage orgy is truly indecent”.
- Zandberg also asked why those in power were filling posts with party nominees, and Trzaskowski retorted: “I regret only one thing, that he was afraid to take matters into his own hands”.
Society, worldview and human rights
Disputes over abortion and women’s rights
- Magdalena Biejat sharply addressed Sławomir Mentzen: “You said that pregnancies resulting from rape were exceptional hypothetical situations, and that is totally untrue. Two years ago in Podlasie a 14-year-old disabled girl was raped (by her uncle) and needed an abortion […] Do you maintain that you would be in favour of her not having the right to terminate the pregnancy?”
- Mentzen replied: “You confirm my words: if something happens once a year, it is indeed an incidental case, and I hope such cases will be as rare as possible”.
Religion, the Church and the secular state
- Joanna Senyszyn asked Karol Nawrocki: “So you will discriminate against atheists?” and pressed him on abolishing the Church Fund.
- Nawrocki responded that “it is good that people have their values and can stand up for them”, and Senyszyn retorted: “Abolishing the Church Fund would lead to the closure of small churches. Those that have a few hundred parishioners each”.
Economy, taxes and housing
- Magdalena Biejat to Nawrocki: “At the start of the programme you said you were against the cadastral tax. In the election lantern last week you were in favour. Do you even understand what your programme is, and what the housing crisis is about?”
- Nawrocki: “Poles are terrified that they will have to pay such a tax”.
- Biejat: “Most people, especially young ones, can at most dream of owning a flat”, “Half of people under 35 worry about how they will pay their mortgage”.
The sharpest clashes and controversies
Foreign policy and security
- Grzegorz Braun: “Do you notice that Jews have far too much, far too much to say about Polish affairs?” – he asked Sławomir Mentzen.
- Mentzen replied: “Yes, I see the problem that the State of Israel has much greater power than its place on the map would suggest, given the strength of its economy and its own army. We have repeatedly seen how the Polish government carries out Israel’s policy”.
Scandalous remarks and retorts
- Grzegorz Braun to Jakubiak: “[…] Paedophiles rule the capital city of Warsaw”.
- Magdalena Biejat to Marek Woch: “It is outrageous that such an antisemitic sewer as Grzegorz Braun passed through this debate without any reaction”.
Personal jabs and irony
- Szymon Hołownia to Maciej Maciak: “You don’t understand a sense of humour, you don’t understand irony, that is your problem”.
- Krzysztof Stanowski to Maciak: “The moment when you waited 700 metres from RepublikaTV under my car was a little strange. Someone needs to check who this man is”.
A debate full of emotion and differences
The Super Express debate showed how much the candidates differ not only in their programmes but also in their style of conversation. From strong words on the economy, through worldview disputes, to personal jabs and controversial jokes, every voter could find something that moved or outraged them. The clash showed that the 2025 elections will be exceptionally varied, both in terms of programmes and the personalities of the candidates.
Watch the full debate on Kanał Zero
Coverage on X
Most of the statements from the debate were quoted for you live on our X (formerly Twitter) account.
