Poland to question Germany about satirical Carnival float

The Polish government has taken offense at a German Carnival float that satirizes the country's ruling party leader and former prime minister, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, and plans to raise the matter with the German government.

Polish foreign minister Witold Waszczykowski said in a radio interview on Tuesday that the float - that was on display in Duesseldorf on Monday - showed "disrespect toward Poles and Polish politicians".

“We want to know what the aim of such antics was,” he said.

The float depicted Kaczynski dressed as a dictator with the heel of one boot on the head of a submissive and bleeding female figure representing Poland.

By the figure's side was a radio labeled Radio Maryja, a poke at the ultra-Catholic radio station that supports Kaczynski's right-wing Law and Justice party.

"Maybe this attests to the tastes of our German friends," Waszczykowski said.

He added that he realized other political leaders are also satirized during German Carnival parades and that Poland therefore plans to inquire diplomatically.

"We want to do this in a balanced way so as not to violate freedom of speech and freedom of expression," he said.

Polish-German ties have worsened since Law and Justice, a nationalist party, were elected to power last November. The new government quickly introduced legislative changes that have raised international concern about the state of Poland's democracy.

Several German officials have criticised Warsaw's new direction, prompting Polish officials to lash back with harsh rhetoric - sometimes reminding Germans of their past Nazi crimes.