Nigel Farage’s reaction to Poland’s homophobic president Andrzej Duda winning re-election is bad – even by his standards
Nigel Farage (Dan Kitwood/Getty) and Andrzej Duda (Sean Gallup/Getty)
Nigel Farage has had the worst possible reaction to Andrzej Duda’s presidential election win in Poland – even by his standards.
Duda has hinged his re-election campaign on hateful anti-LGBT+ sentiment, even promising to ban same-sex couples from adopting children.
But Farage welcomed news of his re-election this morning, simply tweeting: “Good to see a Eurosceptic win in Poland.”
The Brexit Party leader’s comments did not go down well on Twitter.
Nigel Farage welcomed the re-election of Andrzej Duda, and people were not impressed.
“Nigel, is Euroscepticism more important than defeating rampant homophobia? Don’t answer, we know you, after all,” one Twitter user replied.
“He campaigned in anti-LGBT rhetoric comparing gay rights to communism. Do you endorse that Nigel?” another wrote.
One Twitter user shared Farage’s tweet and wrote: “You’ll have been worried by the more important anti-gay aspect of the campaign though – and the strong tinges of anti-Semitism too – won’t you Nigel?”
Nigel, is Euroscepticism more important than defeating rampant homophobia? Don’t answer, we know you, after all.
While another added: “Duda’s rhetoric during the campaign included anti-Semitism, homophobia and xenophobia. Imagine bring so desperate for a Eurosceptic to validate your project that you’d openly align yourself with that.”
But one tweet managed to sum up the stark reality for LGBT+ people in Poland.
https://twitter.com/sophieetunionn/status/1282621522654441472
According to preliminary results from Sunday’s run-off vote, ultra-conservative Polish president Duda received 10,394,843 votes (51.22 per cent) compared to his opponent Rafal Trzaskowski, who won 9,901,371 votes (48.78 per cent).
The Polish president hinged his re-election campaign on his abhorrent opposition to LGBT+ rights.
Duda, who was backed by the Law and Justice Party, has sought to bolster support for his campaign by attacking same-sex marriage, adoption and gay “ideology”.
In a “family charter” published ahead of the election, Duda pledged to “prohibit the propagation of this ideology” in public institutions and “defend the institution of marriage” as defined as a “relationship between a woman and a man”.
With days to go until the run-off vote, Duda also proposed an amendment to Poland’s constitution that would ban same-sex couples from adopting children.
He said: “I am convinced that, thanks to this, children’s safety and concern for the good of children will be ensured to a much greater extent.”
While he claimed an overall victory, exit polling reveals that Trzaskowski maintained a strong lead with younger voters, with Duda only clinching victory due to his support among the 50-59 and 60+ demographics.
