NATIONALIST POPULISM AND POST-COMMUNISM

When it comes to positive national self-presentation, the leaders of the newly established political parties – the PIS and PO – expressed their opinions on the method for achieving national unity and prosperity. Andrzej Olechowski, one of the PO leaders, made a statement that the energy of the Poles should be released, but the “Right, with its trade unionist background, is incapable of doing so” 159 , which clearly shows his critical attitude towards the Buzek government while declaring the PO to be a good choice for the Poles. Jarosław Kaczyński, leader of the PIS, considered the Polish state to be in a deep crisis, with the only way out being through a referendum in which “the Poles should adopt a new ‘social treaty’” 160 . In the field of economic nationalism, the wide majority of populist appeals concerned the possible transformation of land ownership into the hands of foreign farmers. The PSL, which declared itself to be a traditional defender of the interests of Polish farmers, criticised – through the Sejm of Polish Farmers – the position of the Polish government towards the transition period. The main aim of the statement from Zdzisław Podkański was to prevent foreigners from buying “Polish land” 161 . As far as ethnic prejudices and animosity toward “others” are concerned, the Polish media discourse was influenced significantly by the issue of the mass murder of the Jewish population in Jedwabne. The book Neighbors , written by Jan Tomasz Gross, attracted the attention of all the relevant political actors. However, nationalist populist appeals appeared only in the statements of some minor parties or individuals, 162 whose influence on the political discourse was only marginal. Polish-German or Polish-Russian relations did not receive much attention from the Polish political leaders. One of the few statements on this subject was made by Jaroslaw Kaczyński, who called for the “compensation for serious crimes which were committed against the Poles” by the Russians 163 . The issue of the so-called German threat, which was widely discussed in 1991, is reflected 159 Statement of A. Olechowski, leader of PO. See “Uwolnimy demokracje i państwo“, Gazeta Wyborcza (January 31, 2001), p. 15. 160 Statement of Jarosław Kaczyński, PIS leader. Gazeta Wyborcza (August 6, 2001), p. 7. 161 Statement of Zdzisław Podkański, MP and leader of the Sejm of Polish Farmers. Gazeta Wyborcza (December 21, 2001). p. 11. 162 Leszek Bubel, a publisher known for his anti-Semitic attitude, can be mentioned as one of the few examples. 163 Statement of Jarosław Kaczyński regarding the intention of the new government to improve economic relations with Russia. Gazeta Wyborcza (October 27‒28, 2001), p. 6.

64