A crowd of just over 200 people gathered in the streets of Gdańsk for a demonstration led by Grzegorz Braun, the leader of the Konfederacja Korony Polskiej. Despite the high-profile nature of the politician, the “Polska za Pokojem” (Poland for Peace) march was characterized by a lukewarm atmosphere and a low turnout, consisting primarily of party activists, journalists, and police officers. The event passed without any counter-manifestations, leaving a striking impression of a political figure who, despite polling as a leader of a significant political force, struggled to mobilize a broad public presence in the city.
During the event, Braun delivered a speech heavily critical of the United States and Israel. He framed the praise of these nations’ actions as a criminal offense, promising that those who do so would be held accountable. While his rhetoric was sharply anti-American and anti-Jewish, it notably shifted away from direct anti-Russian sentiment. Braun stated that “waging a war of aggression is evidently criminal and the very preparation for aggression is a crime,” though he declined to answer direct questions regarding whether Russia is currently conducting such a war.
The event served as a platform for a specific brand of isolationism, with organizers and participants explicitly calling for a “Polexit”—Poland’s withdrawal from the European Union. Konrad Niżnik, a key figure for Braun in the Gdynia region, asserted that his party is the only one in the Sejm openly discussing the necessity of leaving the EU. This ideological push is coupled with a call for a domestic military buildup that is independent of American influence, as Niżnik argued that the current Polish army is too dependent on the “caprices of Americans.”
The Strategy of Fear and the ‘Polexit’ Narrative
The “Polska za Pokojem” march was not a pacyfist gathering in the traditional sense. Instead, it functioned as a vehicle for the Konfederacja Korony Polskiej to capitalize on public anxiety regarding the conflict in Ukraine and the potential for wider escalation. By positioning themselves as the only protectors against being “dragged into war,” Braun and his associates are attempting to grow their electoral support through a mixture of anti-system rhetoric and nationalist appeals.
A central theme of the day was the perceived threat of foreign influence over Polish institutions. Braun claimed that “Polish patriots will be hunted and persecuted by Ukrainians in the uniforms of the Polish police” and will be judged and accused by them. This narrative of internal infiltration is designed to appeal to a voter base that feels marginalized or threatened by the presence of refugees and foreign nationals.
Michał Welka, the head of the party’s Gdańsk branch and the march’s organizer, echoed these sentiments, reinforcing the idea that a Polexit is the only path to true sovereignty. When pressed on who specifically is pushing Poland toward war, Welka pointed to past statements by Szymona Hołownia, suggesting that other politicians are similarly following the directives of foreign capitals.
A Base Built on Disillusionment
The participants of the march reflected a deep-seated anti-establishment sentiment. Among them was a man named Jacek, a permanent resident of Germany, who wore a shirt with the slogan “FCK USA.” For Jacek, Europe has become nothing more than an “aircraft carrier for America,” with no real agency of its own. He admitted that he only became interested in Braun after seeing the politician’s provocative use of a fire extinguisher in the Sejm, interpreting the act as a sign of courage and a willingness to defy the system.
Another participant, an older man named Lech traveling from Tczew, expressed a profound sense of betrayal by the Law and Justice (PiS) party. He described PiS as having presented itself as a pro-Polish party, which he now views as a “deception and a lie.” According to Lech, PiS is in some ways worse than the Civic Coalition because it “dressed itself in feathers that didn’t belong to it,” causing great harm to the nation by pretending to be more patriotic than it was.
This shift in loyalty—from the traditional right-wing populism of PiS to the more radical isolationism of Braun—is a growing trend. Lech’s frustration is rooted in a feeling of invisibility in his own country, claiming that foreigners are treated better in Poland than Polish citizens. He questioned why he should be held responsible for the war in Ukraine, a sentiment that aligns with the “not our war” slogans shouted by activists at the head of the procession.
Contradictions in the ‘Peace’ Agenda
The rhetoric of the march presented a curious contradiction: a call for peace coupled with a demand for aggressive re-armament. Konrad Niżnik clarified that the march was not pacyfist, arguing that Poland must build its own army to escape dependence on the United States. Niżnik advocated for a return to energy imports from the East to combat rising fuel prices, though he carefully avoided using the word “Russia” during the discussion.
The event concluded in central Gdańsk with a series of speeches and a petition to the Polish episcopate regarding the “National Sanctuary in Gietrzwałd.” The closing moments were marked by a stark contrast between the polite demeanor of some supporters and the aggressive rhetoric of party activists, one of whom shouted into a microphone that “Poland is in the clutches of Jews, Germans, and Ukrainians,” receiving a murmur of approval from the small crowd.
The march’s composition was a mosaic of the party’s core demographics: highlanders, security personnel in uniforms, and a small group of Bałtyk Gdynia football fans. The entire event was livestreamed by Marcin Rola, a figure described by Braun’s followers as “independent media,” though he is widely viewed as a potential political candidate for the party’s future lists.
As the party continues to position itself as the only voice advocating for a Polexit and a total break from Western security alliances, the focus remains on whether this niche appeal can translate into broader electoral success. The next critical checkpoint for the Konfederacja Korony Polskiej will be the upcoming parliamentary cycle, where the party seeks to convert this concentrated, anti-system energy into a larger share of the Sejm.
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