Liberal Anti Catholic Party

The new leader of the post-communist Polish Democratic Left Alliance party (SLD), Grzegorz Napieralski, has issued a challenge to the country's powerful Catholic Church. He has called for the removal of the crucifix from Poland's national parliament, the dismissal of military chaplains, the end of religion classes in public schools, and a ban on presidential participation in televised Catholic Masses.

He has also hinted that he would get rid of the notorious concordat with the Church. Now the Polish media is hailing him as the country's very own answer to Zapatero (the modernizing Prime Minister who has challenged Church privilege in Spain). It is not clear yet what kind of public support Napieralski will get for his populist and anti-clerical stance, but his bold start has irritated the Church leaders who are already trying to downplay and trash his ambitions.

A good dose of Liberalism. Open mouth, pinch nose, swallow.