-- NOVEMBER 12 IS THE FIRST SEJM SESSION - wPOLITYCE.PL WAS THE FIRST TO REPORT:  https://wpolityce.pl/m/polityka/468921-nasz-news-znamy-termin-zebrania-nowego-sejmu -- GOWIN ON THE RIGHT NOT SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE OF KONFEDERACJA AND TOUGH ON TVP, KIERWIŃSKI ON THE PRESIDENCY CANDIDATE THIS YEAR - 300LIVE: https://300polityka.pl/live/2019/10/18/ -- THE BATTLE FOR THE PRESIDENCY IS A BATTLE FOR EVERYTHING - JACEK KARNOWSKI: “So the picture is clear. Firstly, the battle for the presidency is also a battle for the survival of the parliamentary majority formed on October 13. Secondly, the battle for the presidency will be a battle for everything. If the right wins, if Andrzej Duda secures re-election, then the United Right government will be able to move forward strongly, it will be able to undertake even the most difficult reforms. If it loses, PiS will have to fight hard for survival – first in power, then at all. Let's remember, it's coming soon. The presidential campaign will kick off in full swing in at most four months.” https://wpolityce.pl/polityka/468948-czy-posel-ko-przypadkiem-ujawnil-wazny-tajny-plan-opozycji -- PIS HAS A SOLID MANDATE - PIOTR ZAREMBA IN PTT: “Law and Justice had every right to celebrate its triumph. It is the first party in the history of the Third Republic to win an absolute majority in Sejm elections for the second time. On top of that, in this second winning election, it gained 7 percent and over two million more voters than in the first. And the very high turnout, partly resulting from the logic of polarization, and thus the strength of anti-PiS emotions, undermines the vision of the erosion of Polish democracy. It further strengthens the solid mandate to govern.” -- ONE FLAW ON THE TRIUMPH: LACK OF MAJORITY OF VOTES - ZAREMBA CONTINUES: “There is no longer a geographical division into PiS-voting and anti-PiS Poland. PiS has settled into the western and northern voivodeships. It came first in all except Pomeranian. It only failed to win the big cities. This triumph has one flaw. The sum of votes cast for PiS is less than the sum of opposition votes. What's more, the votes of the 'total opposition' alone were not surpassed. No one has ever had this many. But when one governs using total polarization: 'us versus the rest', a sense of dissatisfaction arises.” -- KACZYŃSKI BET ON MORAWIECKI - ZAREMBA CONTINUES: “Morawiecki raised the most doubts in him when Finance Minister Teresa Czerwińska left the government. The question arose whether the government could bear the burden of expenses resulting from election promises. Later, the head of government managed to reassure him. And convince him that no one could juggle finances like him. The Prime Minister also admired the party leader for being a skilled negotiator on the international stage. It is difficult to imagine Beata Szydło or Mariusz Błaszczak in this role. Today, Mateusz Morawiecki has become the main symbol of 'good change' for many voters. When Ziobro started undermining him, Kaczyński had to bet on him. It is difficult to predict what their future relationship will be. The PiS leader fears nothing as much as economic perturbations. A banker turned socially sensitive politician could play the role of a miracle worker here just as well as a scapegoat. But it will also not be easy to find a successor for him.” -- KACZYŃSKI WILL NOT FORGIVE ZIOBRO - ZAREMBA CONTINUES: “In the event of a break with Kaczyński, there is nowhere to go. The PiS leader will not forgive him, even if he feels forced to make deals with him now. For the time being, he is counting on the position of deputy prime minister, an expansion of Solidarna Polska's presence in the government, and further increasing influence in state-owned companies. And he encounters resistance from the PiS headquarters here.” -- ZAREMBA ON GOWIN IN THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS: “Gowin's ambitions concern taking over the portfolio of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The question is whether Kaczyński will reward him – for playing the role of the better coalition partner.” -- MAŁGORZATA WASSERMANN, KACPER PŁAŻYŃSKI, MIROSŁAWA RÓŻECKA-STACHOWIAK, CLASSY PIO PEOPLE - ZAREMBA CONTINUES: “Substantive, concrete, avoiding the ideological-toxic tone. One can only ask, even the party leader himself, why this model of political career is not more common on the right.” -- SCHETYNA IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH ANYTHING - ZAREMBA CONTINUES: “His biggest weakness seems to be the lack of a personal agenda. This man is not associated with any issue that personally concerns him. He shines with reflected light, repeating the most obvious slogans common to the entire opposition. He is a master of the technique of holding the party by the throat, but certainly not of captivating the public with personal charisma.” -- KUKIZ IS TODAY A COMMENTATOR, NOT A POLITICIAN - ZAREMBA: “This rebellion by the rock singer turned out to be soft and lacking in concrete actions. In the new parliament, he will be a relic of topics that were fashionable a few years ago. On the plus side, he deserves credit for the statesmanlike tone with which he can assess the ruling camp. He introduces some complexity to the polarized debate. Although this is increasingly a dish for connoisseurs. Kukiz is today more of a commentator than a politician.” https://polskatimes.pl/kto-jest-glownym-graczem-na-scenie-politycznej-piotr-zaremba-analizuje-uklad-sil-po-wyborach-parlamentarnych-2019/ar/c1-14512921 -- JACEK KURSKI, THAT TVP IS A PLAYING FIELD, AND A PLAYING FIELD DOES NOT PLAY - HE SAYS TO VIRTUAL MEDIA: “The role of TVP and my role as its president is to ensure a balanced broadcast, and this has been fully fulfilled. Citizens made democratic choices based on their own assessments. Television is just a playing field, it provides excellent turf, perfect lighting, and a full audience. But the field does not play, the players play.” https://m.wirtualnemedia.pl/m/artykul/powyborczy-uklad-sil-w-mediach-publicznych-dzieki-pluralizmowi-tvp-pis-osiagnelo-rekordowy-wynik -- SZUŁDRZYŃSKI ON THE SENATE AS A STABILIZER BUT ALSO THE OPPOSITION'S CHANCE: “If PiS cannot convince any of the 51 opposition senators to defect, the Senate can become a tool for stabilizing Polish politics. However, this requires agreement. And although 43 senators entered from the Civic Coalition lists, its leader Grzegorz Schetyna cannot afford a situation where even one person leaves in outrage at his dictatorial way of being. This would mean squandering the greatest opportunity in years that the opposition has faced. It is worth not imposing one's own candidate, however esteemed like Bogdan Borusewicz, but jointly finding a person who will fully utilize the opportunity that voters have given the opposition.” https://www.rp.pl/Komentarze/310179905-Szuldrzynski-Najpierw-rywalizacja-potem-wspolpraca.html -- SCHETYNA WON'T GIVE US POWER, POWER IS TAKEN - JOANNA MUCHA IN AN INTERVIEW WITH ŁUKASZ PAWŁOWSKI IN KULTURA LIBERALNA: “He won't give us power. Power is taken in politics. Either we take it, or we don't. Now, when we have a great chance to manage the Platform, we must dramatically change this Platform. And this on all levels. -- SCHETYNA INDICATING A CANDIDATE WILL WEAKEN THE CANDIDATE - MUCHA CONTINUES: “Our chairman will adopt this perspective. But – let's say it directly – today, Grzegorz Schetyna indicating a presidential candidate weakens that candidate. Therefore, I believe that the new chairman should do it. Or he should decide on the selection procedure, for example, on primaries. -- FILLING THE PLATFORM WITH CONTENT - MUCHA CONTINUES: “I agree with this diagnosis. The issue lies in prepositions. We should not fight 'against someone,' but 'for something.' All international experiences of fighting populists unequivocally show that one only wins against them when one presents a good, alternative vision of the state. And we have lost not only clarity but also identity. When PO voters are asked what the Platform is, they cannot answer. Our task now is to fill the Platform with content.” -- WE HAVE BEEN WASHED OF CONTENT, IF SCHETYNA REMAINS, THE LEFT WILL TAKE POWER - MUCHA CONTINUES IN KL: “Only that the voters don't know what the Civic Coalition is. It has become something absolutely enigmatic for them, devoid of content. There are two scenarios – either we take over and truly open up to civic environments that have flourished over the last four years, open up to the youth, seriously focus on ecology, and change our operating formula… Or Grzegorz Schetyna remains in office as chairman, which will lead to – in my opinion – the left taking power in Poland.” -- WITH THIS LEADER, WE WON'T WIN - MUCHA CONTINUES IN KL: “Grzegorz Schetyna has his talents, and it would be good if he used these talents for the benefit of the Platform. But he has tested himself three times in the electoral process – the last two times in the 'everyone together and everyone separately' variant – and we lost both times. In my opinion, this means that with this leader, we will not win elections against PiS.” https://kulturaliberalna.pl/2019/10/18/joanna-mucha-rozliczenie-platforma-obywatelska-schetyna/ -- PIS WOULD LIKE KONFEDERACJA AND THE LEFT TO ENGAGE IN A BRAWL - AGNIESZKA WIŚNIEWSKA, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF KRYTYKA PORTAL: “The media will certainly be nibbled at by the authorities, the issue of their so-called repolonization will return, and not all private television stations, portals, or newspapers will want to go into a political war with the authorities. Some of them will back down and dedicate sections meant for politics and discussion of national affairs to fueling disputes between Konfederacja and the left. Such a return to 'culture wars' would mean wasted years. PiS would likely want Konfederacja and the left to engage in mutual brawling this term. Then they could calmly finish the work of the so-called 'good change.' Therefore, it is important not to go crazy, to remember that women's rights or minority rights are not substitute or 'cultural' topics, as they tried to convince us in the past. This is a human rights agenda. Period.” https://krytykapolityczna.pl/felietony/agnieszka-wisniewska/nowy-parlament-stare-wojny-kulturowe/ -- EIGHT YEARS OF PIȘ RULE WILL TIE THE RIGHT TO THE THIRD REPUBLIC - PAWEŁ MUSIAŁEK AT THE JAGIELLONIAN CLUB: “Eight years of PiS rule will mean that this party, with its achievements, will be permanently inscribed in Poland's political history after 1989. Thus, one of the most harmful myths for Poland, which reduced already low social capital, will be overthrown. Eight years of rule will be a sufficient period to refute the thesis that the right did not form governments in the Third Republic because liberal-left elites did not allow it and therefore cannot take responsibility for its failures. The 'nationalization' of the right will permanently change PiS's legitimacy, which was built on criticism of the changes after 1989. Eight years will be enough time for the right to have to admit that it built the Third Republic and should take responsibility for both its successes and failures.” -- MORAWIECKI IS A HOPE FOR BETTER GOVERNMENT - MUSIAŁEK CONTINUES: “Hopes for more efficient governance can be linked to the person of Mateusz Morawiecki, who will most likely remain in the prime minister's chair. The last two years have undoubtedly been more efficient than the first two under Beata Szydło. Greater management competencies, broader intellectual horizons, real reform ambitions, and a more substantive support base – these are significant advantages of the current head of government over the former prime minister, as well as other potential candidates who could replace Morawiecki. Although the current prime minister often uses harsh language, very critical of the Third Republic and its elites, to increase credibility with party activists and the electorate, there is no doubt that his ambitions do not boil down to historical revenge on the liberal establishment. The period of his rule is more about extinguishing fires than igniting new ones. -- THE PRESSURE OF THE NEW TERM WILL LEAD TO BETTER GOVERNANCE - MUSIAŁEK CONTINUES: “The pressure for better governance will also result from the new party constellation in the Sejm. A larger number of parties and a more ideologically diverse palette of politicians will make the game that Kaczyński has successfully played in recent years more difficult. It consisted of building a simple dichotomy: PiS vs. the total opposition, which was weak, divided, and lacked identity. Many voters have chosen PiS in recent years not out of love, but out of a lack of serious alternatives. In short: they voted, but they weren't happy. In the new Sejm term, it will not be possible to reduce disputes to a simple binary division. An increase in electoral alternatives will create pressure on PiS to raise governance standards.” https://klubjagiellonski.pl/2019/10/17/druga-kadencja-zjednoczonej-prawicy-10-powodow-do-umiarkowanego-optymizmu/ -- JAKUB MAJMUREK WRITES THAT KACZYŃSKI IS THE GUARANTOR OF A CIVILIZED RIGHT: “All these statements by Jaki show one more thing: the non-right should wish Kaczyński good health. Because it is not at all the case that the withdrawal of the current PiS leader from politics will necessarily open the way to civilizing what lies to the right of PO on the Polish political scene. It could be quite the opposite. The younger generation of PiS – not just Jaki – is often even more extreme, authoritarian, populist-illiberal than Kaczyński. His point of reference is the new populist-right forces associated with Steve Bannon, not Western European Christian democracy. 'The time for identity-based right-wing politics is coming,' Jaki says directly.” https://opinie.wp.pl/jakub-majmurek-mlode-wilczki-z-pis-chca-wziac-nas-za-twarz-opinia-6436108564392065a -- ROMAN GRACZYK ON THE OPPOSITION'S STRATEGY, WHICH WAS HARMED BY CELEBRITIES: “Elections are won in the center. Much has been said in recent months about how the Civic Coalition shot itself in the foot multiple times with the arrogant language of its celebrity supporters. Quite rightly so. Promoting socially progressive topics (e.g., in Warsaw) was equally ill-considered. As was the silent support for LGBT anti-Catholic excesses. In all these areas, the Coalition lost some of its own centrist voters, while failing to gain some wavering centrist PiS voters. If the presidential elections are to build a large aggregate, victorious in the second round, the opposition cannot make these mistakes. Those who enjoy such displays of arrogance (identity voters of Platform and progressive voters of the Left) will vote in the second round for the united opposition candidate anyway, against the PiS candidate, so there is no need to solicit them this time.” https://fakty.interia.pl/opinie/graczyk/news-po-wyborach-ida-nowe-wybory,nId,3283404 -- ADAM LESZCZYŃSKI ON DREAMS OF A POLISH FOX NEWS - HE WRITES IN OKO: “In this way, therefore, MP Schreiber imagines a pluralistic television – as a private (not state-owned) version of TVP. Of course – unequivocally supporting PiS and not excessively concerned with factual accuracy. The only question is, which of the two commercial television stations in Poland would he like to turn into such a partisan Fox News.” https://oko.press/pis-marzy-o-polskim-fox-news/ -- THE OPPOSITION GETS MORE VOTES WHEN RUNNING SEPARATELY - MICHAŁ DANIELEWSKI ON SZYMCZAK'S THESIS: “As Jakub Szymczak showed in OKO.press, the Senate elections show that party electorates do not add up. In the Sejm elections, the combined result of KO, Lewica, and PSL is almost 5 percentage points higher than PiS's result. In the Senate elections, the result of the Senate pact candidates is only 0.6 percentage points higher than PiS's result. The opposition won more votes for the Sejm (over 8.8 million) – where it ran separately, than for the Senate (over 8.1 million) – where it ran together.” -- DANIELEWSKI ON THE OPPOSITION'S PRESIDENTIAL PACT: “In presidential elections, every single vote counts. We don't convert them into mandates, there are no wasted votes. Therefore, if we are to rely solely on statistics, the opposition should present the widest possible offer to voters in the first round – this will mobilize a larger number of its sympathizers. The risks of this scenario? If there is a fierce fight between opposition candidates in the first round, the voters of the losers may feel so disappointed that some will stay home in the runoff. To avoid this threat, opposition candidates could enter into a pact before the elections, emphasizing common values of the rule of law and making a promise that whoever faces Andrzej Duda in the second round will receive unequivocal support from the other candidates.” https://oko.press/kosiniak-kidawa-blonska-biedron-tusk-opozycja-szuka-wspolnego-kandydata-ale-czy-go-potrzebuje/ -- BIRTHDAYS: Andżelika Borys, Łukasz Abgarowicz, Lech Dymarski, Genowefa Ferenc, Zdzisław Podkański, Dobromir Sośnierz.