Poland divided as right-wing populists win again

The re-election of Andrzej Duda as Poland’s president this week was by the narrowest of margins and has sent liberals in the country into a tailspin. Duda’s campaign pivoted away from pro-welfare messaging to one dominated by “family values” and hostility to the country’s LGBT communities.

Christian Davies was covering the election for the Guardian and tells Rachel Humphreys that the result now clears the way for Poland’s ruling populists in the Law and Justice party to continue their politicisation of independent institutions such as the judiciary and the media.

Hi, Cronos presented the candidates in few posts above.
Actually, all but one candidates are somewhat conservative, be it socially or economically. Really left wing candidate got 2% of votes. Left wing parties are outside of parlimemt for few years now. This presidential election was a fight between a more pro-US, more socially conservative, bigger welfare candidate and a pro-EU, more free market (although this is debatable imho) candidate. Political situation is more about how conservatives and centrists organize the political scene. Left is marginal.

Poland is split down the middle between PiS and PO - the two main parties (main but not ONLY).

Poland is NOT torn between left and right. The LEFT-left, communists etc. get 2% of the vote.

PiS which is Duda is socially conservative but doesn't DO much for it, just says a lot (think RINO), economically left (big government, lots of welfare) - that's a win with the electorate. They have 48% to 52% of the electorate

PO is socially liberalISH but doesn't DO much for it, just talks (think DINO), economically rightISH (but they won't roll back the welfare state). They were big until PiS came up with 500zł for each kid. Plus they had a charismatic leader in Donald Tusk. Trzaskowski is charismatic, but far less capable than Tusk. These guys get 25% to 30% of the vote

PSL is the farmers party and has a fixed vote bank of 2.5% approximately

The new and upcoming "party" is actually a coalition of various "right" parties - it is called "Konfederacja" or confederation. It's been in place since 2016 and the failure of a guy called Kukiz to actually make any change.

Konfederacja has been rising from 5% in the previous elections in 2019 to 7% now with Bosak. It is conservative and fiscally open with a smaller welfare state. This is the classic "rightist" party

The LEFT - ex-commies were represented by Biedron, a homosexual mayor of Ślupsk (the only homosexual mayor in Poland) - and they got 2% of the vote. They have been falling in vote levels steadily.

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So this vote was between
1. a socially rightISH and fiscally leftISH candidate and
2. a socially leftISH and fiscally rightiSH candidate

A lot of people who are RIGHT are not comfortable with PiS -- that includes me, they are fiscally irresponsible, big government and corrupted (the other party PO is also equally corrupt)

Because it's the guardian :)

Ok, Duda was a shoo-in to win before COVID struck - his opponents were lacklustre

But then covid came and even though DUDA did good, the candidate from PO (the main opposition party) was replaced with a young, charismatic,good-looking dude (with little real governing experience)

Duda then put the election plank of Karta Rodzina - family card, which is to say he would stop homosexual propaganda in schools and give parents more rights in stopping that being pushed to parents

It sounds really good, but the tricky thing is that for the past 5 years PiS has done nothing to stop this slow creep and they came up with this just to win the election - let's see if they actually implement

In immigration

PiS (Duda's party) - says it wants Polonia (overseas expats) immigrants, Ukrainian/Belarussian temporary workers, but in reality has invited tons of Indians etc. as guest workers - and due to the hassle in getting identity cards, most leave in a year and contribute little to the economy but also lose a lot of money. PiS is all talk, but little actually done

PO (Trzaskowski's party) - ostensibly the same as PiS but says it is more pro-immigration. In reality it does nothing for immigrants or to aim immigrants. PO is all talk, but little actually done

PSL - farmer's party - loves cheap labour imports for farming - so Ukrainians or Indians. But doesn't say it out aloud.

Konfederacja - against immigration from anyone other than Polonia (descendants of Poles)

the Left (commies who won 2% of the vote) - say they are pro-immigration. In reality they have no representation in parliament and are losing pretty much everywhere, so irrelevant

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Defending western values

PO and PiS say they are defending western values

Konfederacja says the same as does PO/PiS - but will more likely stick to it

the left- who cares? They are irrelevant

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