In its self-reflection Poland s opposition is drawing ever closer to extreme ideas and mimicking Antifa s methods, Polish MEP Dominik Tarczynski has said. Deputy Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski also responded to the phenomenon, saying he was surprised by the opposition’s sharp shift towards radicalism.

The opposition has lost its identity and now it is copying the methods of foreign extremist movements, MEP Dominik Tarczynski said.

„It s simply embarrassing,” he said, and underlined that the left s many stunts and manifestations bear the hallmarks of Antifa s thoughts and ideas. Mr Tarczynski said the radical movement which voiced its demands to defund law enforcement has enjoyed widespread support in the US. He explained that when Rafal Trzaskowski, Warsaw s leftist mayor, makes similar statements, all he does is copy left-wing radicals, whom he appears to idolise. The fact that such methods are being used shows that the opposition in Poland has ceased having any own ideas, the MEP added.

„They are powerless and can t seem to find themselves. They don t know who they are,” the MEP said, adding that the fundamental difference between the right-wing government and the opposition is that the government has an identity and its own ideas, which are rooted in historical values.

Deputy Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski had similar thoughts. „We have strong ties to the right and will not move towards the left,” Mr Kaczynski said, adding that the Civic Platform – which identifies as a centre-right entity – took a sharp left turn, „towards leftist extremism, which surprises us a bit.”

The deputy prime minister outlined the new opposition structure, which could result in the centre-right moving all the way to the left, and the right-wing opposition voices sliding towards the middle.