-- BUDKA UNCLEAR ABOUT KIDAWĄ'S FUTURE, SCHETYNA FIRM ON KIDAWĄ'S CONFRONTATION - 300LIVE: https://300polityka.pl/live/2020/05/08 -- THE PRIME MINISTER SPEAKS IN LA STAMPA ABOUT DISAGREEMENT WITH THE RUSSIAN NARRATIVE: “Excluding Poland from participation in the commemorations represents a condition set by Moscow, meaning only one thing: to participate in the historical debate, one must accept the Russian narrative. But for Poland, this would mean agreeing to a lie: we cannot allow a situation where the oppressor is confused with the victim.” -- ONE CANNOT BE NAIVE - MORAWIECKI ON RUSSIA AND CHINA: “One cannot naively believe that all forms of international aid, especially those offered by states striving for world domination like Russia or China, stem solely from altruistic motives.” https://wpolityce.pl/polityka/499277-premier-w-la-stampa-nie-ma-zgody-na-klamstwo-rosji -- JACEK KARNOWSKI ON THE STATE OF EMERGENCY TRAP: “Of course, we will soon hear that the opposition is proposing to resort to a state of natural disaster. But would not what happened in Hungary happen immediately after its introduction, that is, would not an avalanche of criticism and accusations of stifling democracy fall upon Warsaw? Would not the sense of introducing a state of emergency be questioned at a time when the infection curve has been flattened, and thus the epidemic has been contained? Would not every attempt to use extraordinary tools be attacked? Finally, would not the government be accused of deepening the economic crisis in this way? All in all, we must call a spade a spade: this is an attempt to set a trap from which there is no escape. This is such a drastic negation of objective factors - including the plague itself and its consequences - that elementary loyalty to the most important state institutions, and ultimately to the state itself, is called into question.” -- TVN IS THE MOST IMPORTANT OPPOSITION PARTY - KARNOWSKI AGAIN: “This is both an interesting and important matter. It shows that this important television station, in fact perhaps the most serious political force in the country today, is not only capable of being incredibly cynical, but also that it is pursuing a concrete political plan. A plan whose goal appears to be the delegitimization of the authorities of the Republic of Poland.” https://wpolityce.pl/polityka/499254-tvn-owska-afera-paskowa-pokazuje-co-jest-prawdziwym-celem -- ALL THOSE WHO WANTED TO ROCK THE BOAT OF PIS SO MUCH THAT ONE OF THE WAVES WOULD SWEEP MORAWIECKI AWAY HAVE LOST - MICHAŁ SZUŁDRZYŃSKI IN RZ: “The Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki is also a winner. Compromise means that – although it seemed on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday that common sense had left PiS headquarters – the ruling party did not collide head-on with reality, but will try to maintain elements of moderation. This, in turn, means that those in PiS who pushed for radical solutions, who wanted to rock the PiS boat so much (and incidentally, the whole country's ship) that one of the subsequent stormy waves would sweep Morawiecki away, have lost.” https://www.rp.pl/Wybory-prezydenckie-2020/200509542-Michal-Szuldrzynski-Wszyscy-wygrali-na-porozumieniu.html -- DOMINIKA WIELOWIEYSKA ON THE GIANT HANGOVER IN PIS - writes in GW: “The mood in PiS circles can be described in two words: a giant hangover. Although official optimism is presented, the facts make this optimism laughable. After weeks of repeating that the vote would take place on May 10th or another date in May, after boastful announcements that only such a solution was constitutional, the emperor turned out to be naked. Jarosław Kaczyński had to back down. He did not want it to look like yielding to the opposition's demands, so – instead of introducing a state of natural disaster – he decided to hold phantom elections. Poland has never experienced such a disgrace. A country made of cardboard – that's the mildest description one can use. We have become a laughingstock of the world.” -- THE PRIME MINISTER'S RATINGS HAVE RISEN - WIELOWIEYSKA AGAIN: “Gowin – for now – has forced from the party leader what he wanted. However, his career in the United Right is very much in question. Meanwhile, the prime minister's ratings in Nowogrodzka have risen. 'He told the leader uncomfortable truths at a time when others were flattering him with the unrealistic,' says one of my interviewees.” -- WIELOWIEYSKA DESCRIBES THE GAME AGAINST MORAWIECKI AND KACZYŃSKI'S ATTEMPT TO DISMISS SASIN: “Minister of State Assets Jacek Sasin assured him that they would manage. He wanted to present himself as the steadfast one who was implementing the party leader's vision. The Minister of National Defence, Mariusz Błaszczak, supported him. This was the anti-Morawiecki faction, which thought it would finally crush the head of government and limit his influence. Minister of Justice Zbigniew Ziobro, along with former Prime Minister Beata Szydło, was also pleased. The goal of this group was to prove that choosing Morawiecki was a mistake. It seemed they were close to their goal, as it was becoming increasingly uncertain whether Morawiecki would remain Prime Minister. Sasin was already openly bypassing Morawiecki in decisions concerning state-owned companies. Morawiecki had his own concept for their management, but Sasin ignored it. He felt so secure as the most loyal and appointed by the leader that he completely disregarded Morawiecki's opinion. Now, before the elections, it turned out that Sasin was unable to organize any elections. Kaczyński was furious, he wanted to dismiss him, but the Prime Minister intervened on his behalf for tactical reasons. So that Sasin would now feel indebted to him, Morawiecki.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,25926687,gigantyczny-kac-w-pis-gowin-uratowal-kaczynskiego-przed-samym.html -- A PAINFUL DEFEAT FOR THE COMMANDER MODEL - PIOTR TRUDNOWSKI IN KLUB JAGIELLOŃSKI: “Perhaps for the first time since Kaczyński and Tusk divided the Polish political scene, we have witnessed such a painful defeat of the commander model. This should be a lesson for our entire political scene that a one-person, authoritarian leadership is neither an optimal, nor an infallible, nor even a consistently effective method of managing a political camp. For some, let this be a warning that participating in a race to grovel before the imagined will of a party leader can ultimately lead to ridicule. And for voters – let the events of recent weeks be a guide that it is worth trusting specific people at the ballot box, even when they operate within a political camp that is far from our own.” -- GOWIN AND EMILEWICZ SAVED THE COUNTRY - TRUDNOWSKI AGAIN: “I have little faith in fortune. When I wrote those words a month ago, nor for even a second in the last month, did I entertain the thought that there would be an opportunity for this – so with even greater joy I will write it. Prime Minister Jarosław Gowin and Prime Minister Jadwiga Emilewicz deserve the highest respect promised a month ago for neutralizing the threat of a systemic crisis as a result of the May elections and avoiding a political crisis in the midst of a pandemic that could have resulted from the government's collapse. History is not fair. It rarely writes in golden letters those who saved the country from certain disaster. I believe that this is precisely what Gowin and Emilewicz did.” https://klubjagiellonski.pl/2020/05/07/przesuniete-wybory-i-pakt-jaroslawow-zwyciestwo-w-ktore-nikt-nie-wierzyl1/# -- IN PIOTR GŁUCHOWSKI'S OPINION IN GW, PLATFORMA MAY REGRET NOT BACKING JAŚKOWIAK: “When I recall the primaries in Platforma, where Kidawa-Błońska faced Jacek Jaśkowiak, I wonder if the politicians of this party knew whom they were choosing? [Probably] no one took those [primaries] seriously there. I think that today many people in the Civic Coalition may be kicking themselves for not backing Jaśkowiak. A tough politician who has clear views and is not afraid to emphasize them.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75398,25928143,gdy-kurz-opadnie-ujrzymy-trzy-sylwetki-dude-a-za-nim-holownie.html -- HOŁOWNIA GAINED, BUT NOW MUST FIGURE OUT HOW TO ATTRACT OTHERS - MICHAŁ SUTOWSKI IN KRYTYKA: “The fight thus begins anew, which does not mean everyone is starting from scratch. Hołownia has certainly gained in the last two months, but now he has to figure out how to attract the simultaneously angry orphans of the Freedom Union and the Open Church, young city dwellers who love nature, and those traditional ten-plus percent hoping for 'someone new, from outside the system.' Kosiniak-Kamysz has already been in the opposition leader's garden, he has already greeted the Christian Democratic goose, but now he must find an idea for a second offensive, especially since the market for 'the last hope of civilized people' has become a bit tighter. Biedroń's campaign team faces a titanic challenge in retaining the progressive electorate, which hates PiS even more than Platforma supporters, so he will have a strong inclination to support the strongest contender for the throne.” -- THE FIRST ROUND AS A CLASH OF VISIONS, THE SECOND AS A FIGHT TO MINIMIZE LOSSES FOR DEMOCRACY - SUTOWSKI ON THE DIVISION OF LABOR FOR THE OPPOSITION: “Perhaps, therefore, the time has come for a division of labor among the opposition campaigns – instead of the mutual cutting, undermining, and sabotaging that has occurred so far. Some will play for mass support today, others for the common sense and political imagination of citizens the day after tomorrow. In this way, the first round can be a clash of visions, and the second – a fight to minimize losses for democracy and civilize politics in Poland. And if everyone does their part, through a wide spectrum of choices, citizens will be mobilized so that the second round even takes place.” -- SUTOWSKI ON THE DOUBLE DRAMA OF THE OPPOSITION: NO TALK OF MUTUAL ARRANGEMENTS, BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH FOR PIS TO COLLAPSE OVER THE CRISIS - FURTHER IN KRYTYKA: “The opposition's drama in the perspective of the July vote is twofold. The May campaign has shown that there is no question of any lasting mutual arrangements – the fight for status among the 'rest of the world' outside of PiS leads party candidates to a war of attrition, after which Andrzej Duda might reconcile them in the first round. What's worse, although it is PiS that is responsible for the scandal of the May ('not held, therefore invalid') elections, the opposition, condemned to mutual competition, will be more easily accused of opportunistic politicking in times of plague. Especially if they start competing with arguments about who was right about the boycott or negotiations with Gowin. It will not be enough for the opposition for PiS to spectacularly fail in fighting the crisis, which will be difficult for two months anyway. It must convince Poles that the victory of its candidate is a hope for curbing Kaczyński's madness and ordering state actions, but not necessarily a prelude to a political coup and, for example, new parliamentary elections.” https://krytykapolityczna.pl/kraj/michal-sutowski-porozumienie-gowin-kaczynski-wybory-prezydenckie-opozycja/ -- THE STATE IN A SYMBOLIC SENSE HAS CEASED TO EXIST - THIS IS THE THESIS PRESENTED BY EDWIN BENDYK: “The PiS state in a symbolic sense has ceased to exist. Fundamental decisions about the future of Poland and Poles are made by individuals without constitutional authority or responsibility, and they do so without any procedure. This is not democracy, it is anarchy. The political spectacle surrounding the presidential elections is far from over. We are witnessing another twist of the plot; it began as a comedy, and after a tragicomedy, decisions made by Jarosław Kaczyński and Jarosław Gowin have begun a new act, increasingly approaching tragedy.” -- KACZYŃSKI IS ALIENATING HIMSELF FROM SOCIETY - WRITES BENDYK: “Jarosław Kaczyński has always been reluctant towards the constitutional principle of self-governance and decentralization, arguing that it weakens the state. Indeed, it weakens Kaczyński's power. I write in my book that Kaczyński's state is increasingly alienating itself from society: … the PiS state is not the Republic, but a fragment of it that is marginalizing itself by its own will. The Republic is created by a polycentric, complex, and diverse society.” https://antymatrix.blog.polityka.pl/2020/05/07/koniec-panstwa-pis/ -- JACEK ŻAKOWSKI ON THE DELEGITIMIZATION TRAP OF THE OPPOSITION'S NARRATIVE - writes in GW: “The ease of delegitimization politics can be fatal for the opposition. When one can repeatedly and justifiably say that the government is bad because it is illegal, it is easy to feel absolved from building a narrative of a well-ordered, not just legal, Poland. Until such a narrative is available, it is easier to organize dislike for the current government than support for oneself. Contrary to what many politicians seem to think, dislike for the government does not necessarily mean support for the opposition. It can translate into indifference, contempt, scorn, regret, anger, hostility towards the ineffective opponents of the government, and internal emigration, i.e., electoral absenteeism. As is happening now.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,25924977,pulapka-delegitymizacji-nawet-nielegalna-wladza-moze-trwac.html -- WITH A KICK, PIS LOWERED THE PRESTIGE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS - LESZEK JAŻDŻEWSKI IN LIBERTE: “In the process of political ping-pong with the date and formula of the elections, PiS lowered the prestige of the presidential elections. Instead of a climactic clash of good and evil, as a result of an incomprehensible confluence of events, we will get reheated leftovers. The ballot papers, which, as Karolina Lewicka from TOK FM colorfully described, are flying around the yards, will be pulped. The entire drama has been ruined. Chaos and uncertainty may cause many 'lukewarm' voters to shrug their shoulders – let the politicians entertain themselves. We have real problems to deal with. PiS may continue to invoke the sovereign, but the sovereign knows his own mind. The authorities don't care about him. Such things are not forgotten.” https://liberte.pl/z-buta/ -- PIS AVOIDED CATASTROPHE BUT THE COUNTRY IS PLUNGING INTO LEGAL CHAOS - JAKUB BODZIONY IN KULTURA LIBERALNA: “It is difficult to understand how introducing a state of natural disaster, as demanded by many lawyers and experts, would lead to a systemic crisis or threaten the collapse of the government. The legality of the idea, according to which new elections would be organized with the participation of currently registered candidates, is convincingly questioned by, among others, Professor Ewa Łętowska. PiS avoided a spectacular electoral catastrophe, which it was heading for as a result of its own decisions. Now the country continues to plunge into legal chaos. It is difficult to consider this a success for democracy, the opposition, or the ruling party.” https://kulturaliberalna.pl/2020/05/07/porozumienie-ponad-prawem-bodziony/ -- THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF RZ ON THE THREAT OF RIGHT-WING AUTHORITARIANISM: “Is this the end of the national lottery with presidential elections? Probably not. It must be stated with exceptional regret that two threats still loom over Polish democracy – the pandemic and right-wing autocracy. However, the withdrawal of the latter from the elections, protested in solidarity by voters and authorities, is a light at the end of the tunnel. A faint one, but giving hope for a return to normalcy. I would very much like to believe that we have overcome one of the most difficult breakthroughs of the turbulent river of Polish democracy.” https://www.rp.pl/Wybory-prezydenckie-2020/305079883-Boguslaw-Chrabota-Nadzieja-na-powrot-normalnosci.html -- THE LOST KIDAWĄ'S CAMPAIGN DID NOT SUCCEED - PROF. ANTONI DUDEK IN A CONVERSATION WITH JACEK NIZINKIEWICZ IN RZ: “Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska's campaign did not succeed. She got completely lost. PO should withdraw her candidacy. Naturally, Donald Tusk's candidacy will return, who has been making his presence felt all along and it is evident that Polish politics still interests him greatly. The Civic Coalition has a problem finding another candidate, but it should look for one.” -- DUDEK ON THE FACT THAT NEGATIVE ELECTORATE WOULD PREVENT TUSK FROM WINNING: “No, because his negative electorate has not disappeared. He might have been able to gather enough votes to reach the second round, but not to win. A turning point is occurring, and Duda's ratings will weaken as general dissatisfaction with the crisis caused by the ongoing epidemic grows. This is one of the reasons why PiS so strongly pushed for the May elections.” -- PLATFORMA HAS BECOME WORN OUT, KOSINIAK CAN BUILD A NEW CENTER AND UNITE DISSATISFIED PLATFORMA VOTERS - DUDEK AGAIN: “Kidawa-Błońska's voters would flee to Hołownia, Kosiniak-Kamysz, and to a lesser extent to Biedroń. The mechanism of creating new political entities based on a candidate with a good result is well-known. One can imagine Hołownia going this route, but it will be very difficult. Hołownia, without MPs, would have to lead a new political entity outside of parliament for three years – without elections. Therefore, I do not predict great chances for Hołownia's project. Interesting things may happen around Kosiniak-Kamysz if he comes second in the presidential elections. He may start to unite dissatisfied PO supporters, building a new center. PO is becoming worn out.” -- BUDKA HAS FAILED A SERIOUS EXAM - DUDEK AGAIN: “Budka had a historic opportunity to break up the ruling camp; serious talks with Gowin would have sufficed when he proposed changes to the constitution. The process of destroying the United Right would have been set in motion, because PiS did not want these changes. Budka was unable to deepen the rift around the United Right, and Gowin returned to the ruling camp. The game was not just about the elections; in the background was the government majority, which began to falter. Today, the government majority is stable again. This is Budka's failure, the first major exam failed by the new leader of PO. What happens to PO will be decided by the choice of candidate in the presidential elections.” https://www.rp.pl/Wybory-prezydenckie-2020/305079873-Prof-Dudek-Tusk-nie-pokona-Dudy.html -- MP IZABELA LESZCZYNA ON THE CRYING HOŁOWNIA AND KOSINIAK PRETENDING TO BE MIKOŁAJCZYK - tells Agata Szczęśniak in OKO PRESS: “Crying Hołownia, Kosiniak-Kamysz pretending to be Mikołajczyk, even the candidate of the Left, which by voting for remote parliament sessions helped to eliminate parliamentary democracy in Poland for several months. Meanwhile, only KO said from the beginning: we are not participating in Sasin's elections. Gowin got bogged down and Kaczyński got bogged down, they got lost and subjected Poland to shame worldwide. They probably won't want to repeat this, so to save their image a little, they will want to do something positive. This will be the organization of elections by the State Electoral Commission.” -- WHY SHOULD WE CHANGE A CANDIDATE WHO HAS CONVINCED 90% OF OUR VOTERS? - LESZCZYNA AGAIN: “Why should we change a candidate who has convinced 90 percent of our voters that the May elections are dangerous and unfair?” -- HOŁOWNIA IS AN INSIGNIFICANT PHENOMENON - CLAIMS LESZCZYNA, REMEMBERING TYMIŃSKI: “Kosiniak-Kamysz was very nervous when President Duda reminded him of the retirement age, which threw him off rhythm, and besides, the Head of PSL always says the same thing. And Szymon Hołownia is a sociological phenomenon that happens in every election. Fortunately, it's Hołownia and not Stan Tymiński. We have matured for Hołownia, and that's good, but for Polish politics, he will remain an insignificant phenomenon.” -- LESZCZYNA TO SZCZĘŚNIAK'S QUESTION ABOUT TUSK AND TRZASKOWSKI AS POTENTIAL CANDIDATES: “You won't drag me into such speculation. Our candidate is Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska. We will show our voters our energy and our program. We are back in the game because it is once again being played according to some rules, not completely without rules.” https://oko.press/koalicja-obywatelska-konczy-z-bojkotem-wyborow/ -- PIS ELECTORATE FEARS THE CRISIS THE LEAST - OKO DESCRIBES IPSOS RESEARCH: “The anxieties are distributed interestingly across electorates. PiS voters seem to be more resilient to the crisis. 29 percent of respondents in this group fear job loss. Such a low percentage may reflect the age structure of the ruling party's electorate. The sentiments among all opposition party voters are the reverse of the feelings of PiS voters. In this group, as many as half of respondents fear layoffs, and the estimates for specific groupings are as follows: Konfederacja – 50 percent Civic Coalition – 47 percent PSL and Kukiz ’15 – 47 percent Lewica – 44 percent.” https://oko.press/kryzys-uderzyl-juz-w-30-proc-polakow-traca-prace-zamowienia-dostaja-mniejsze-pensje-sondaz-oko-press/ -- PHOTO. The Fortune Teller by Valentin de Boulogne, called Valentin – a French painter of the Baroque period, a Caravaggist. Around 1614, he arrived in Rome, where he settled permanently. He was friends with Nicolas Poussin. He was strongly influenced by Caravaggio. Some of his paintings were even mistaken for works by Caravaggio for a long time. The Fortune Teller is one of Valentin's most famous paintings, combining the expected cast of characters around themes of thieves, love, and music – in short, "life's deceptions." An Anatolian carpet and a harp suggest patricians rather than ordinary people. Until 1683, the painting was displayed in the royal chambers at Versailles. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/663867 -- BIRTHDAYS: Andrzej Leder, Bogdan Klich, Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz, Andrzej Sośnierz, Izabela Kloc, Witold Mrozek, Danuta Pietraszewska, Jacek Pilch.