Death penalty, which means very bad direction in Polish politics
Andrzej Duda, in an interview with several conservative editors, stated: "Do you know why there is so much betrayal and brazenness in Poland? Because no one's been hanged for treason. It's terrible, but there's truth in those words." The speech caused a storm. Politicians, lawyers, and netizens overcame in comments, and the subject of the death penalty returned to public debate like a boomerang.
If this environment doesn't come to mind, then all these people will have to be expelled from the judge's state without a right to rest. (...) Recently one man said to me very brutally: "Do you know why there is so much betrayal in Poland? Because no one has been hanged for treason in a long time." It's terrible, but it's true. – President Andrzej Duda
🗣️ @President@AndrzejDuda: If this environment does not come to mind, then all these people will have to be expelled from the judiciary without the right to rest. (...) Recently one man said to me very brutally: "You know why there is so much in Poland... pic.twitter.com/3HTEhszovY
Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski recalled that Poland has been bound since 2000 by Protocol No 6 to the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Human Rights, which abolishes the death penalty. The Ministry of Diplomacy does not provide for such commitments to be terminated. Even the greatest enthusiasts of the "hard hand" must therefore be satisfied with rhetoric, because the gallows are out of reach today.
PiS versus PO. Who would be the first to hang an opponent?
In Polish politics, accusations of treason are as popular as pork chops at Sunday dinner. PiS accuses PO "selling Poland", PO corresponds to PiS "an attack on democracy". If we had actually introduced the death penalty for treason, the Sejm jury could have turned into a courtroom of comedy, "Idiocracy".
I gently remind you of KO and their media acolytes, who first, some time ago, spoke of hanging. This is your leader and today, Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Somehow, you did not tremble at the time. https://t.co/82lntNhnD2
President Duda's statement triggered an avalanche of comments.
"I was outraged too. But I just got over it. Very bad words at the end of the term. Remember, if you do this, you'll never know who's gonna hang who." – warns MP of the Left Anna Maria Żukowska.
How's Mr. President? @AndrzejDuda He outraged at the quote of the poem Miłosz by Donald Tusk in front of the Presidential Palace! https://t.co/orCA1sYuEQ
I was outraged too. But I just got over it. Very bad words at the end of the term. Remember, if he does...
— Anna-Maria Żukowska 💁🏻♀️ (@AM Zukowska) July 9, 2025
Others say that it is shifting the boundaries of public debate and calling for violence. There are also people who think the death penalty should come back, but only for the heaviest crimes.
Political death penalty
The death penalty is a subject that should not be laughed at, but it is not difficult to notice that politicians often treat other politicians as if they were a target to be removed, rather than partners in the service of citizens. Even on the most important issues for you, politicians of the two largest factions are unable to reach an agreement. Sometimes you can get the impression that the PO and the Law and Justice Office will execute the death sentence on Poland rather than cooperate.
