In addition to the PiS government, Poland’s opposition is also challenging the Catholic Church. This clings to Pope John Paul II to this day – but why?
Warsaw – In Poland, the citizens’ coalition around Donald Tusk wants to dethrone the right-wing populist PiS. According to surveys, an alliance with the Left and the liberal-conservative Third Way party alliance could possibly come about. The opposition promises, among other things, to strengthen women’s rights. This also includes liberalizing abortion law, which is currently one of the most restrictive in Europe. Radical “life advocates” in citizen movements had campaigned for the restrictions for years – with support from large parts of the Catholic Church.
The church repeatedly intervenes in the election campaign – especially on issues such as same-sex partnerships or abortions. With the democratization of Poland after the collapse of the Eastern Bloc, the church was able to regain influence. Too much, says the opposition today. Tusk promises to roll back the Church’s influence if he rules.
Before parliamentary elections: the status of the Catholic Church in Poland
State and church are formally separated and cooperate loudly Constitution but “for the good of people and society”. There is also a formal body between the government and the bishops’ conference. “This is nothing unusual,” says political scientist and Poland expert Dr. Anja Hennig from the European University Viadrina in conversation with Merkur.de from IPPEN.MEDIA. “But it is always a question of political will as to how much influence you actually give church representatives. Now the PiS party is much more church-friendly than, for example, the Left or Donald Tusk’s Citizens’ Platform, which is divided in this respect.”
For Poland, the church is to some extent part of the national identity. When Poland was divided in the 18th century, the Catholic Church played “a major role in shaping identity,” says Hennig. From the times of foreign rule by Prussia and Russia, the narrative emerged that Catholicism brought unity. Compared to Germany, there is a “greater level of self-evidence of Catholicism in the public eye”. There are also numerous privileges for the church.
During the Nazi occupation and communist rule until 1989, the church presented itself as a “bastion of resistance,” writes Dr. Maria Skóra from the think tank Progressive Center for The Guardian. This resonates – and is still one of the reasons for their influence in society and politics today.
Young people in particular are increasingly turning away from the church, among other things The Guardian reported. When it comes to abortion, surveys also show that a majority of Poles reject a general ban on abortion. Many have resigned themselves to a 1997 compromise. Most recently, allegations of cover-up against the then Pope John Paul II in the abuse scandal caused a stir in Poland and further worsened the reputation of the church overall.
Poland election: PiS and church closely linked
The parliamentary election on Sunday, October 15th could present the church with new challenges. Mass protests with hundreds of thousands of participants across Poland against the PiS government are also affecting the church, which is closely linked to the party and advocates the same ultra-conservative values. Since PiS came to power, the “mixing of the political and ecclesiastical spheres (…) has gained a new dynamic,” judges the editorial team of Polish Studies Interdisciplinary (Pol-Int) the European University Viadrina. The PiS is promoting the strengthening of the political role of the church – the connection is based on a “national Catholic ideology”.
But it is by no means just the church that is driving these conservative policies. “This abortion law did not come about primarily at the insistence of the church, but rather even more radical NGOs that exerted influence here,” says Hennig. The church is heterogeneous, there are different opinions regarding, for example, the stricter abortion law in Poland. But many of these radical civil movements also have a Catholic background.
An extreme example of the church’s political influence is the controversial station “Radio Maryja” run by Father Tadeusz Rydzyk, based in Toruń. Critics accuse the station of interfering politically and, among other things, supporting the PiS party in the election campaign. The program consists primarily of religious contributions, prayers, but also of open nationalism and government propaganda against leftists and liberals – especially when topics such as same-sex partnerships, abortion or euthanasia are currently in the focus of the political debate.
“There is not only Radio Maryja, but also a television station and a newspaper. “It’s a pretty comprehensive media empire with a specifically PiS-supporting line,” says Hennig. Rydzyk’s target group: older people, mostly those in rural areas, “who may not even leave the house anymore,” she says. “For this target group, it is of course a very important channel of influence.” Rydzyk’s reactionary views are reflected in PiS politics.
Influence of Pope John Paul II in Poland
Almost all church movements in Poland are united by their veneration of Pope John Paul II. “As a Pole, as a pope in the 1970s and 80s who supported democratic government, John Paul II is of course an important reference. He is also very valued as a person,” says Hennig. “Especially against this historical background of the Cold War and because of his commitment to Solidarity and democratic change, his importance should not be underestimated.”
President Andrzej Duda wrote to a bishop earlier this year that the memory of the former pope was “part of the Polish raison d’état that we should preserve with absolute devotion and determination, regardless of the consequences.” It is “our civil, patriotic and historical duty,” quotes the Catholic News Agency The head of state. During this time, allegations of cover-up of abuse flared up again. Duda did not comment on this.
For many Poles, the former Pope John Paul II remains an “important reference person,” says Hennig. However, one has to differentiate “to what extent the hardliners are oriented towards his moral policy agenda”.
Parliamentary election in Poland: Pope John Paul II and debate about abortion
What was the Pope’s stance on the issue of abortion? Karol Wojtyła, who was born near Kraków and was head of the Roman Catholic Church from 1978 until his death in 2005, fought vigorously for the former in what he called the battle of the “culture of life” against the “culture of death”. “Intentional abortion, however carried out, is the intentional and direct killing of a human being in the initial stage of its existence between conception and birth,” it says Gospel Vitae (1995). Here the Pope expresses his thoughts on “the value and inviolability of human life.”
It goes on to say: “Among all the crimes that humans can commit against life, abortion has characteristics that make it particularly serious and reprehensible.” The “culture of death” therefore also includes genocide and euthanasia. The pope at the time noted that people would take God’s place and decide for themselves about life and death – with fatal consequences. Today’s “life protectors”, i.e. radical opponents of abortion around activist Kaja Godek, see it similarly. Their movement received massive support from Polish bishops.
Just a week before Poland’s election, a letter approved by bishops was read in churches across the country. Although the general election is not directly mentioned, the Pope’s encyclical is directly quoted on the subject of life and abortion. A clear no to a legally guaranteed right to abortion. This is what the portal reports The Pillar.
Clear separation of church and state in Poland?
The bishops officially distance themselves from the election campaign and the parties, left and right. They claim they only want to remember the Pope’s words about life and dignity. Poland’s church also celebrates “Pope Day” on October 16th – the day after the parliamentary election.
The journalist Arkadiusz Gruszczyński sees it differently. The new pastoral letter could be seen as “part of this year’s election campaign,” he writes in the PiS-critical daily newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza. It is a “clear violation of the separation (…) of church and state”.
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Parts of the church are concerned about the election. “This election campaign was particularly tough, with attempts to discredit opponents who violated human dignity,” Marcin Przeciszewski, editor-in-chief of the Catholic Information Service in Poland (KAI), told the newspaper OSV News. “The church will face problems whether it wins or loses. The PiS is trying to exploit them for political purposes, and the citizens’ coalition is challenging them on key issues.”
Who will win the election in Poland and what influence the church will have in Poland in the future will only become clear on Sunday evening at the earliest, when the polling stations close at 9 p.m. and there is an initial forecast. (Luke Rogalla)
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