Скачать или смотреть Poland's far-right Mentzen channels Trump populism in election campaign

In a remote part of northeastern Poland, seen as a likely flashpoint in any military conflict with Russia, young voters are thronging to meet a far-right presidential contender who vows to prioritize them over refugees and strategic allies.

Slawomir Mentzen, a 38-year-old lawmaker and tax adviser, is running third ahead of the May 18 election, according to opinion polls that put the liberal mayor of Warsaw, Rafal Trzaskowski, 53, of the ruling Civic Coalition (KO) in first place.

But political observers say Mentzen's popularity among younger voters could yet allow him to knock out second-placed candidate Karol Nawrocki of the main conservative opposition Law and Justice party (PiS) and make it into the second and final round of the ballot on June 1.

Trzaskowski's support currently stands at 36.2% and Nawrocki's at 22.6%, while Mentzen - the candidate of the far-right Confederation Party - is on 17.4%, according to an IBRiS poll published on Tuesday by Rzeczpospolita daily. But another poll, by Opinia24, suggested Mentzen could win nearly half of the votes among the 18-29 age group.

Although Mentzen rarely mentions the U.S. president, his campaign managers say he is trying to emulate Trump.

"The election rallies of other candidates are more calm and subdued, but Mentzen's rally was energetic, much like those during Donald Trump's campaign," said Tycjan Baryla, 20, an entrepreneur adding he is impressed with Mentzen as the presidential candidate.

Mentzen has also tapped into a sense among a growing number of Poles that mainstream politicians have focused too much on global themes - such as the security threat posed by Russia or climate change - and not enough on more immediate concerns such as how to cut taxes or keep illegal migrants out of the country.

While opinion polls show security remains a major concern for voters across the political spectrum, Mentzen says Poland should spend less on helping Ukraine.

"I will not allow the Polish Army to join the war in Ukraine," he said in Sejny. "Poles deserve a president who will care first of all about Polish interests ... This is Poland, after all."

In Poland, the president is commander in chief of the armed forces and can veto legislation but has no executive powers.