Poland Withdraws Army Training Course on “gender perspectives”
The ministry announced on Monday that Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz had decided to discontinue the initiative. In its statement, the ministry suggested that responsibility for the program’s introduction may lie with prior leadership. The training “may [have been] organized based on the decision of the previous minister,” Mariusz Blaszczak, the statement said.
“The topic of supplementary training regarding gender was proposed by the chairwoman of the Council for Women’s Military Service and approved by the defense ministry’s human resources department,” it added.
Public awareness of the course surfaced earlier this month after domestic media outlets reported on it. Although participation was described as optional, reports indicated that some service members reacted negatively. According to coverage, soldiers said they were “surprised” and “frustrated” by the rollout of the program.
“Many of us believe the army should focus on preparing for military operations, not on issues that some in the community perceive as ideological. The unit is already saying that this is unnecessary and that such content has nothing to do with daily service,” an anonymous serviceman told news outlet Blask.
Opposition politicians on the right seized on the controversy to criticize the current defense minister. Some framed the initiative as out of step with broader political trends, particularly in light of recent policy shifts in the United States. Under President Donald Trump, diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts—including within the military—have been scaled back.
“When the entire world, with the US at the front, is moving away from ‘woke’ culture…Kosiniak-Kamysz is introducing such inventions. I’m waiting for him to come up with the idea of biodegradable missiles or electric tanks,” said Andrzej Sliwka, a lawmaker with the right-wing populist Law and Justice (PiS) party.
Blaszczak, who previously led the ministry, also weighed in on the dispute. During a press conference, he linked the debate to transatlantic dynamics and accused his successor of yielding to European Union influence. “We cannot give in to such blackmail by such irrational people, who are trying to push the United States out of Europe,” he said.
The episode has intensified political sparring in Warsaw, reflecting broader ideological divisions over the role of social policy within national defense institutions.
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