Polish Presidential Candidate Proposes Sending Politicians’ Children to Frontlines First
Polish presidential hopeful Sławomir Mentzen has sparked fresh controversy after suggesting lawmakers’ children should be the first sent to the battlefield if war breaks out.
In a recent interview on Channel Zero, Mentzen — who’s running third in current polls behind Rafał Trzaskowski and Karol Nawrocki — argued that forcing politicians to put their own families on the frontlines would make them think twice before leading the country into conflict.
“If politicians knew their own kids would be the first to face bullets, they’d be far more careful about dragging Poland into unnecessary wars,” said Mentzen, leader of the right-wing Confederation party. “If they cause a war, their families should pay the price first.”
Mentzen didn’t stop there. He also renewed calls for mandatory military training for young Poles after high school. But he clarified that this wouldn’t apply to everyone — Poland’s military, he said, lacks the resources to train all eligible youth. Instead, he proposed a selective, paid training program to prepare future conscripts and boost their odds of survival should conflict erupt.
“War rewards skill and preparation,” Mentzen explained. “Anyone who’s received proper training stands a much better chance of making it out alive.”
His comments come as debates over military conscription heat up across Europe. In Germany, some media outlets and politicians have begun calling for mandatory service to defend “freedom and diversity.”
Mentzen’s blunt proposal has stirred sharp reactions at home, adding fuel to Poland’s ongoing discussions about defense policy and the rising risk of war in Europe.
