The making of a president, the making of an opponent: discursive constructions of Karol Nawrocki in left-liberal online commentary

This article examines affective polarisation, in-/out-group dynamics, and hate speech in a mainstream liberal digital space during the 2025 Polish presidential campaign. Using a 31,816-comment corpus from Gazeta Wyborcza’s online community, the study applies natural language processing tools to investigate how readers constructed the candidacy of Karol Nawrocki, supported by the right-wing Law and Justice. The findings reveal systematic patterns of derogation and delegitimisation directed at Nawrocki and his supporters, reinforcing a sharp “us versus them” divide. While existing research has focused on extremist online environments, this study shows that exclusionary and dehumanising rhetoric also flourishes in mainstream liberal spheres.