Polish Candidate Faces Backlash Over Pseudonymous Praise

Polish presidential candidate Karol Nawrocki faced criticism after it was revealed he praised his own work as a historian under a pseudonym. This led to ridicule from opponents and dealt a blow to his campaign. Nawrocki defended his use of a pseudonym for literary reasons.

Karol Nawrocki, a Polish presidential candidate, is facing significant backlash after reports emerged of him praising his own historical work under a pseudonym during a 2018 interview. The allegations have stirred ridicule from political adversaries, particularly from supporters of leading opponent Rafal Trzaskowski.

Nawrocki, who heads Poland's Institute of National Remembrance and previously led the Museum of the Second World War, published a book on gangster Nikodem Skotarczak under the pen name Tadeusz Batyr. In a broadcast interview that year, Batyr extolled Nawrocki's influence, omitting the fact they were the same individual.

Opponents seized the opportunity to lampoon the incident. European Parliament member Bartosz Arlukowicz mocked Nawrocki's fictitious meeting with Batyr, dubbing the situation more than just a jest. Despite the controversy, Nawrocki dismissed the criticism, emphasizing the common use of pseudonyms in Polish culture.

(With inputs from agencies.)