-- UKRAINE'S OFFENSIVE DID NOT SUCCEED - MICHAŁ FISZER ON TYGODNIK POLITYKA PORTAL: "It is with regret that we state that the Ukrainian offensive did not meet expectations and has passed its culmination point. They inflicted serious losses on the Russians, but failed to reach the Sea of Azov to cut off the so-called Crimean corridor. We need to try something else." https://www.polityka.pl/tygodnikpolityka/swiat/2233328,1,616-dzien-wojny-ofensywa-ukraincom-nie-wyszla-skad-ta-porazka-i-co-nalezy-teraz-zrobic -- GRONKIEWICZ-WALTZ ON THE KPO: THE MERE SURNAME "TUSK" OPENS DOORS IN BRUSSELS, THAT'S HOW IT IS IN THE WEST - 300LIVE: https://300polityka.pl/live/2023/11/02/ -- THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD CONTINUES, A WAR OF NERVES, WHEN THE LOSERS EXPRESS MASKED FRUSTRATION, AND THE WINNERS, AND THEIR VOTERS, ARE NOT PARTICULARLY HAPPY EITHER – SUCH AN EMOTIONAL GREY ZONE - MARIUSZ JANICKI IN TYGODNIK POLITYKA: "However, the transitional period and a war of nerves continue, when the losers express masked frustration, and the winners, and their voters, are not particularly happy either – such an emotional grey zone. It is often said that in 1989, when an epochal event took place in Poland and Europe, paradoxically, there was a lack of social awareness of the breakthrough. It somehow got lost in fears of whether the communists would suddenly overturn the table, including in the absurd prime ministerial mission of Czesław Kiszczak, who tried to cobble together a government from non-existent coalition partners, before the time of Tadeusz Mazowiecki arrived." -- POLES MUST GET USED TO COALITION GOVERNMENTS OF SEVERAL PARTIES AGAIN AND NOT PERCEIVE IT AS DISTURBING INSTABILITY - CONTINUES THE FIRST DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF POLITYKA: "However, an interesting thread has emerged here, also likely influencing moods. Namely, Poles must get used to coalition governments of several parties again and not perceive it as disturbing instability. And there has been a long break. For eight years, PiS, along with its satellites, had an absolute majority in the Sejm. Earlier, for eight years, the rule of Platforma Obywatelska and PSL lasted, but the cooperation of these formations was generally trouble-free, and conflicts did not occupy voters' attention. In fact, the history of the Third Polish Republic was dominated by two-formation political arrangements. This was the case in 1993–97 (SLD with PSL), then came the AWS government with Unia Wolności (UW left the government at the end). In 2001, a coalition of SLD and PSL came to power again, and did not complete its term in this composition: Leszek Miller expelled the Peasants from the government. And Kaczyński's toxic alliances with Samoobrona and the League of Polish Families are still remembered today as a nightmare." -- THE FORMER OPPOSITION MUST REALIZE THAT SUCH A MULTI-GENERATIONAL ACT OF FAITH IN DEMOCRATIC VALUES, AS OCCURRED ON OCTOBER 15, HAPPENS PERHAPS ONCE IN DECADES - JANICKI'S CONCLUSION IN TYGODNIK POLITYKA: "If anyone from the democratic opposition were to go in the direction of PiS in such a situation, they would cover themselves in shame – in comparison, Kałuża would look like a man of honor. Because the election result is a chance to return to the West European family, to which Poland signed up 34 years ago. The former opposition must realize that such a multi-generational act of faith in democratic values, as occurred on October 15, happens perhaps once in decades (Prof. Friszke speaks about the historical dimension of the elections in an interview). Therefore, they should draw everything from this opportunity." https://www.polityka.pl/tygodnikpolityka/kraj/2233102,1,kampania-powyborcza -- THE MOST IMPORTANT PROGRAMMATIC AND PERSONNEL PROPOSALS OF THE NEW COALITION ARE TO BE PRESENTED BY NOVEMBER 11 - PIOTR ŚMIŁOWICZ IN GAZETA.PL: "The first session of the new Sejm is scheduled for November 13. According to one concept, as we learn, the new coalition is to announce its programmatic and personnel agreements before November 11. On Independence Day, PiS intends to summarize its rule in some form, so such a move would preempt the formation that has been in power for 8 years. At that time, the outlines of the personnel structure of the new government arrangement may also be presented. In recent days, the composition of the Presidiums of the Sejm and Senate has been the subject of the greatest disputes." -- AFTER HALF A TERM IN THE SEJM, HOŁOWNIA AND CZARZASTY, WHILE THE POSITION OF MARSHAL OF THE SENATE WOULD GO TO THE CIVIC COALITION - CONTINUES ŚMIŁOWICZ IN GAZETA.PL: "Both Trzecia Droga – for Szymon Hołownia, Lewica – for Włodzimierz Czarzasty, as well as Koalicja Obywatelska – for Borys Budka, aspired to the position of Marshal of the Sejm. According to one of the latest concepts, the position of Marshal of the Sejm would be filled rotationally – Hołownia and Czarzasty would hold this function for half a term each, while the position of Marshal of the Senate would go to the Civic Coalition (most likely Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska). Representatives of all four groupings would also be Deputy Prime Ministers under Prime Minister Donald Tusk." -- IT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE TO LOWER VAT RATES OR EASE THE SUNDAY TRADING BAN - WRITES ŚMIŁOWICZ IN GAZETA.PL: "Due to the difficult public finance situation, the idea of lowering VAT rates, proposed by Lewica, may not be realized. Due to the opposition of PSL, it will also not be possible to introduce new standards in animal welfare, e.g., an immediate ban on cage farming and the liquidation of the fur industry. It is unlikely that working hours will be shortened for now – Lewica proposed shortening them by 2 hours per week, then by 5. In turn, due to the opposition of Lewica, specifically the Razem party, the easing of the Sunday trading ban, proposed by Trzecia Droga and Koalicja Obywatelska, will likely not be achieved." -- AS WIECZOREK ADMITS, THERE IS ONLY AGREEMENT IN THE COALITION TO RESTORE THE ABORTION COMPROMISE AS A FIRST STEP - CONTINUES ŚMIŁOWICZ IN GAZETA.PL: "As Wieczorek admits, there is only agreement in the coalition to restore the abortion compromise as a first step. A compromise solution could be to abandon the criminalization of abortion, for which only appropriate changes to the Penal Code are needed. This may be more difficult, not due to disputes among coalition partners, but due to a possible veto from President Andrzej Duda." https://jedennewsdziennie.pl/article/101 -- TUSK MUST ANSWER THE QUESTION OF WHETHER HE WILL AGREE TO HOŁOWNIA BUILDING HIMSELF UP, CREATING A THREAT TO TRZASKOWSKI - MICHAŁ SZUŁDRZYŃSKI IN RZ: "But another question arises here: is this in the interest of the largest party on the opposition side, i.e., Civic Platform? Its natural – it would seem – candidate for the office of President of the Republic of Poland is Rafał Trzaskowski, who narrowly missed the presidency in 2020. Trzaskowski did not run in the Sejm elections, explaining that Warsaw, whose president he is, is important to him, as are next year's local government elections, in which he will also be running. But for at least 18 years, Warsaw can be a springboard to the Presidential Palace. By allowing Hołownia to build himself up in the Marshal's chair of the Sejm, Platforma must be aware that it is creating a threat to Rafał Trzaskowski's chances in 2025. Paradoxically, therefore, Donald Tusk, who is the main and strongest player in forming the new coalition, must answer the question of whether he will agree to Hołownia building himself up, creating a threat to Trzaskowski." -- OR PERHAPS TUSK FOR PRESIDENT? - CONTINUES SZUŁDRZYŃSKI: "A year ago, Donald Tusk said he needed 400 days to clean up after PiS. Later, more gentle people could take over. PiS believes this is a declaration that after a year of governing, Tusk wants to change jobs and take a position in Brussels. However, this might be a completely false lead. After all, the presidential elections must take place in May 2025. If PO takes power in December 2023, 400 days will pass just three months before the elections. For Donald Tusk, the presidency would be the ideal culmination of his political career. Indeed, in 2007, he ironically stated that a president can only guard the chandelier. But in a situation where we don't know how stable the government of KO, 3D, and NL will be, whether PiS will survive its current defeat and whether it will move to the next elections strengthened, the role of the president may turn out to be crucial for the stability of the political system." https://www.rp.pl/komentarze/art39347201-michal-szuldrzynski-holownia-trzaskowski-czy-tusk-kto-z-opozycji-z-szansami-na-prezydenture-2025 -- WOJCIECH KONIECZNY FROM LEWICA, A POSSIBLE MINISTER OF HEALTH - ŁUKASZ SZPYRKA IN INTERIA: https://wydarzenia.interia.pl/kraj/news-niechciany-resort-wiemy-kto-moze-zostac-nowym-ministrem-zdro,nId,7120950 -- VARIOUS REVIEWERS, INCLUDING SYMMETRIST PUBLICISTS, ADVOCATES OF "NOT SCAREMONGERING ABOUT PI S" AND PROPONENTS OF THE OPINION OF "HOPELESS OPPOSITION," ARE NOT LETTING UP AFTER THE ELECTIONS. ON THE CONTRARY, THEY ARE PICKING UP SPEED AND ALREADY PREDICTING THE DEFEAT OF TUSK'S GOVERNMENT. THEREFORE, BOTH THE NEW GOVERNMENT AND VOTERS MUST MAINTAIN IRON NERVES - MARIUSZ JANICKI IN TYGODNIK POLITYKA. -- KACZYŃSKI, WHATEVER HE DOES, HAS A SOFT TARIFF. HE'S BEEN ON IT FOR TWO DECADES. OTHERS MUST BE AS EFFECTIVE AS HE IS, BUT THEY CANNOT USE HIS METHODS - CONTINUES JANICKI IRONICALLY: "The old refrain echoes here: PiS is what it is, this party will not change, it's just its nature, but others must be better, forgiving, someone has to stop this spectacle of hatred. The same refrain will appear regarding the Constitutional Tribunal, the judiciary, special services, state-owned companies, etc. Only that the necessity of 'being better' always falls on someone other than PiS; for many years, Kaczyński, whatever he does, has had a soft tariff. He's been on it for two decades. Others must be as effective as he is, but they cannot use his methods." -- THANKS TO RESISTANCE TO SUCH ADVICE, TUSK WON THE ELECTIONS, AND ONLY BY CONTINUING TO IGNORE THEM CAN HE STAY IN POWER - CONTINUES JANICKI: "Often on social media, one can find summaries of the political situation that capture the essence of the matter. A user on the X platform, @mec. Prado, wrote: 'The symmetrists are more disappointed with the opposition's good result than PiS. An outrageous thing happened, despite the opposition and its voters ignoring the symmetrists' scolding, diagnoses, and recipes, PiS lost to the opposition. Oh, ungrateful ones, you deserve a lesson for disobedience!' It is evident that the current opposition at the helm of government awaits difficult days, and its way out – unfortunately – is to completely disregard the opinions of such advisors. Thanks to his resistance to such advice, Tusk won the elections, and only by continuing to ignore them can he stay in power." https://www.polityka.pl/tygodnikpolityka/kraj/2233138,1,czy-symetrysci-po-wyborach-spuscili-z-tonu-nic-podobnego-oto-7-ich-nowych-przekazow.read -- BUT WILL DONALD TUSK'S NEW GOVERNMENT HAVE THE AMBITION AND STRENGTH TO ACTUALLY - AS TUSK PROMISED IN HIS "MAJORITY NARRATIVE" DURING THE CAMPAIGN - BUILD A STATE FOR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN, NOT FOR POLLS AND POSSIBLY ANOTHER TERM OR FOR A RETURN TO THE EU LEADERSHIP - JACEK GĄDEK ON TWITTER: https://x.com/JacekGadek/status/1719787067524165840?s=20 -- HOW TO DELIVER ON THE ELECTION PROMISE OF CONDEMNING PI S FOR THE "MASSIVE AMOUNT OF CRIMES" AND AT THE SAME TIME NOT TO ANGER KACZYŃSKI'S VOTERS, ESPECIALLY THE MODERATE ONES? - GALOPUJĄCY MAJOR IN POLITYCZNA KRYTYKA: "Opposition politicians are thus facing a significant challenge: how to deliver on the election promise of condemning PiS for its 'massive amount of crimes' and at the same time not to anger Kaczyński's voters, especially the moderate ones? Perhaps PiS itself will solve the problem for them. The unrecalled National Prosecutor, Barski, will take over all investigations against PiS members and then order his people to prolong them indefinitely or dismiss them. In the worst-case scenario, Andrzej Duda will apply an express pardon, as he did with Kamiński and Wąsik." -- ONE COULD SEND NOTIFICATIONS OF CRIMINAL OFFENSES TO THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE AND BLAME THE PI S PROSECUTORIAL APPARATUS FOR THE LACK OF RESULTS - CONTINUES MAJOR: "From a political (and probably only political) point of view, this would be most useful for the new government. One could send notifications of criminal offenses to the prosecutor's office and blame the Pi S prosecutorial apparatus for the lack of results. The electorate of the Senate Pact would then not be furious with the new government, and the moderate PiS electorate would be calmed. After all, politically, chasing the rabbit has always been more valuable than catching it, something PiS, which did not want to close the Smoleńsk investigation for eight years, knows perfectly well." https://krytykapolityczna.pl/kraj/albo-gruba-kreska-albo-zwiekszona-polaryzacja/ -- MAYBE SOMEONE FROM ABROAD? SOME RIGHT-HAND MAN OF ORBAN? I SINCERELY DOUBT IT, BECAUSE SUCH TRANSACTIONS, ALTHOUGH POSSIBLE IN A FEW MONTHS, REQUIRE MORE THAN MERE ALLIED WILL - BOGUSŁAW CHRABOTA IN RZ ON POLSKA PRESS: "The idea seems noble, but at the same time terribly difficult to implement. Firstly, because among the party of the chairman (if we exclude all companies controlled by the State Treasury), it is hard to find someone who smells of real money. Leaders of media empires close to the party – Messrs. Karnowski or Sakiewicz – are not sitting on coffers of dollars and are aware that after the opposition takes power, and the flow of millions to their companies stops, they themselves will find themselves in serious trouble. Sympathetic business? Well, that's not the best idea either, because after the change of power, business will undoubtedly change its allegiances too. Maybe someone from abroad? Some right-hand man of Orbán? I sincerely doubt it, because such transactions, although possible in a few months, require more than mere allied will. SKOK-i (Cooperative Savings and Credit Unions)? That's probably not out of the question, although it seems they too must reckon with many statutory and systemic limitations." https://www.rp.pl/komentarze/art39348141-boguslaw-chrabota-polska-press-arka-noego-prezesa-kaczynskiego -- WITOLD GADOMSKI FOR THE LIQUIDATION OF PFR - AS WRITES IN GW: "This is the main flaw of the Polish, or rather, state-owned development fund: it invested money somewhat like scattering it from a helicopter. Someone benefited, but it could have been spent better. Politicians of the coalition preparing to form a government will likely be tempted to maintain PFR. Such an instrument can always come in handy – to patch a financial hole somewhere, to provide quick money that is lacking in the finance minister's budget. If they succumb to such temptation, they will step into the shoes of their predecessors and, instead of strengthening long-term economic growth, will focus on current problems." https://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,30361805,okiem-liberala-pfr-do-likwidacji-o-inwestycjach-niech-decyduje.html -- THIS IS NOT A PENDULUM SWING, THIS IS A SIGN OF A WORLDVIEW-NEUTRAL, NON-IDEOLOGIZED STATE - KATARZYNA PRZYBORSKA IN KRYTYKA POLITYCZNA: "Placing it in the role of a powerful, effective actor at the very beginning of our modern democracy immediately weakened it, because the Church, in its hierarchical, anti-women, and exclusionary structure, is the opposite of democracy and does not care about it. Therefore, instead of treating it with concern, it is better to inquire about good, secular education, strengthening the mental health of children and youth, public services, equality before the law for all citizens, and engagement and building trust between society and its political representation. And bite your tongue before you start scaring people with a 'pendulum swing.' Taking over the Ministry of Education by Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk after Przemysław Czarnek will not be a 'pendulum swing in the other direction,' just as the legalization of abortion up to the 12th week will not be. Religion will not be outlawed, nor will anyone be forced to have an abortion. This is not a pendulum swing, it is a sign of a worldview-neutral, non-ideologized state." https://krytykapolityczna.pl/kraj/kosciol-potrzebuje-wojny-wie-ze-wygra/ -- POLSKANATLE DATA: LONG WORKING HOURS AFFECTED ONLY 7.9% OF EMPLOYEES IN POLAND: In Poland, long working hours affect 8% of employees, placing us in 11th position among 33 countries. We work an average of 7 to 9 hours a day – according to data from Polskanatle.pl. https://300polityka.pl/biznes/2023/11/01/dane-polskanatle-w-polsce-dlugie-godziny-pracy-dotyczyly-zaledwie-79-pracownikow/ -- PAWEŁ ADAMOWICZ WOULD BE TURNING 58 TODAY. JERZY OSIATYŃSKI, 84. -- BIRTHDAYS: Grażyna Staniszewska, Marlena Maląg, Jan Grabiec, Tomasz Zdzikot.