Libertas' president Declan Ganley sent a letter to the new party's congress Courtesy of Libertas

Stimulating investment, support for SMEs and tax reductions are the main planks in the platform of a new right-wing political party, Naprzód Polsko (Forward, Poland), which held its first major congress last month.

Founded in November and including former members of the right-wing League of Polish Families (LPR) party, Naprzód Polsko wants to challenge the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) and center-right Civic Platform (PO) parties, claiming the “patriotic electorate does not have its representation,” according to Janusz Dobrosz, the party’s head.

Dobrosz estimated that the party could receive 10-20 percent of the votes in the European parliamentary elections in June. To achieve that, the party is taking steps to join forces with other small conservative groups and has already signed an agreement with the PSL “Piast” party.

Naprzód Polsko could also run for the European Parliament as part of Libertas, a pan-European lobby group which seeks to block ratification of the Lisbon Treaty and to reduce the bureaucratic burden imposed on EU members. The movement aims to “create a new, democratic, accountable and open European Union,” according to a statement on their website.

Libertas’ president, Irish businessman Declan Ganley, sent a letter to the January congress of Naprzód Polsko. Czech President Vaclav Klaus also sent a message of support.

Meanwhile, controversy erupted last week following reports in Gazeta Polska that the Polish branch of Libertas includes former officers of the controversial Military Intelligence Service.

Naprzód Polsko has little chance of success regardless of its tactics, according to Artur Wołek, an associate professor at Tischner European University in Kraków. “The traditional electorate is already attracted to Law and Justice,” he said. The new party will also find it difficult to break into the mainstream debate since it lacks media experience, Wołek warned.