“You have said many times that a simple spank never hurt anyone,” Biejat told Mentzen during the Polish state broadcaster TVP’s live debate.
“And who did it hurt?” the Confederation party leader shot back, drawing gasps in the studio.
Corporal punishment illegal since 2010
Spanking children is outlawed in Poland under a 2010 amendment to the Family and Guardianship Code that explicitly bans all corporal punishment by parents or carers.
Fundacja Dajemy Dzieciom Siłę Rights groups say Mentzen’s remarks run counter to that ban and wider European norms.
Clash over child welfare and alimony
Biejat, a senator and former co‑leader of the Left Together party, had pressed Mentzen on whether his permissive stance on physical discipline extended to “economic violence” such as unpaid child support.
Mentzen replied that parents who dodge alimony “should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” but reiterated his view that mild spanking is not harmful.
Election context
The exchange came five days before the first round of Poland’s presidential vote on 18 May. Front‑runner Rafał Trzaskowski of the pro‑EU Civic Coalition leads the polls, with conservative historian Karol Nawrocki and Mentzen battling for a spot in a likely 1 June runoff.
Mentzen, a libertarian tax adviser who has mobilized young male voters with far-right, anti‑EU and low‑tax rhetoric, is polling around 18–20 percent.
Biejat, 43, campaigns for progressive social policies, including stronger child‑protection laws and tougher enforcement against alimony evaders.
Wider debate on children’s rights
Poland was the first country to outlaw school corporal punishment in 1783 and extended the ban to the home in 2010.
Still, surveys show a significant minority of Poles view “light spanking” as acceptable, and Mentzen’s comments tapped into that sentiment.
Child‑rights advocates responded angrily online, stressing that “every form of violence leaves a mark.”
What’s next?
With polls showing undecided voters could decide the runoff line‑up, analysts said Mentzen’s remarks may alienate moderate conservatives and help Biejat consolidate the left‑wing vote.
The National Electoral Commission begins printing ballots on Wednesday.
(jh)
Source: TVN24, FDDS, RMF24