Disinformation about ukrainian refugees during the electoral campaign ahead of the parliamentary elections in the Republic of Poland on October 15, 2023

Abstract

The article explores the role of Ukrainian refugees’ issue in Polish parliamentary election of 15.10.2023. Mostly the author sheds light on the activities of the nationalist-leaning Confederation and its narrative against Ukrainian migrants. The article also exposes disinformation campaigns targeting Ukrainian refugees, analyzing false claims circulated on Telegram channels. Despite attempts to exploit anti-Ukrainian sentiment for political gains, the parliamentary election results underscore the limited success of such rhetoric in Polish society, with mainstream parties dominating and nationalist factions receiving minimal support.