The City in the Political Discourse of Warsaw’s Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski

Abstract

Since 2023, Poland’s political calendar has been marked by a succession of electoral campaigns — one closely following another: starting with the Sejm and Senate elections, moving swiftly to local government polls, then the European Parliament vote, and culminating in the presidential election. Despite attempts by various political actors to alter the established balance of power, the Polish political scene remains largely controlled by two parties: Law and Justice and Civic Platform, which have consistently received the support of more than half of the voters over the past two decades. Academic literature suggests that this persistent societal division is largely maintained through political discourse, as political actors use appeals to deeply rooted social tensions to mobilise and retain their supporters. Within this context, the discourse of Warsaw’s mayor and prominent Civic Platform leader, Rafał Trzaskowski, during the local government election campaign (February–April 2024) provides a valuable case study. Particular attention is given to the ways political opponents and their electorates are represented, as well as to strategies for constructing the image of the city and its inhabitants. The analysis reveals a distinct duality in Trzaskowski’s discourse: on the one hand, it appeals to humanistic and inclusive values; on the other, it is firmly rooted in the logic of the so-called “Polish-Polish war,” structured around a dichotomy of “us” versus “them”. The Law and Justice party is depicted not as an equal participant in the political process but as an existential threat to democratic governance and social cohesion. At the same time, utterances concerning the urban agenda sound noticeably softer, with an emphasis on shared values and positive initiatives. It is plausible that, within this context—aimed at a supportive audience—aggressive confrontation is seen as excessive, and political  mobilisation is instead achieved by affirming the city as a space of freedom and dialogue.