With vote ahead, Polish leader turns up anti-German rhetoric

By VANESSA GERA
Associated Press

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s nationalist conservative ruling party has ratcheted up its anti-German rhetoric ahead of elections next year.  The Law and Justice party also is seeking to cast its main domestic challenger as loyal to Berlin. Critics see the strategy as a campaign tactic that could harm ties with Germany amid Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Polish government is demanding that Germany pay Poland $1.3 trillion in compensation for World War II losses. Party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski is accusing Germany of seeking to dominate Europe. Last weekend he accused Berlin of using peaceful means for aims that “it once wanted to implement using military methods.”