-- TUSK: ON SATURDAY AT A MEETING WITH FARMERS, I WILL HAVE SOMETHING SERIOUS TO COMMUNICATE - 300LIVE: https://300polityka.pl/live/2024/03/07/ -- ONLY 25 PERCENT OF POLES BELIEVE THAT DONALD TUSK'S GOVERNMENT VIOLATES THE RULE OF LAW AND DEMOCRACY MORE THAN THE PIS AUTHORITIES – ACCORDING TO AN IPSOS POLL FOR OKO.PRESS AND TOK FM. EVEN ONE IN FIVE VOTERS OF JAROSŁAW KACZYŃSKI'S PARTY IS SKEPTICAL ABOUT THE STORY OF THE "DICTATORSHIP OF COALITION 13 DECEMBER" - MICHAŁ DANIELEWSKI IN OKO.PRESS. -- CONSIDERING HOW MUCH KACZYŃSKI'S PARTY INVESTED IN THE NARRATIVE ABOUT THE END OF DEMOCRACY IN A COUNTRY RULED BY TUSK, SUCH PROPORTIONS ARE A COMPLETE FAILURE - CONTINUES DANIELEWSKI IN OKO: “Considering how much Kaczyński's party invested in the narrative about the end of democracy in a country ruled by Tusk, such proportions are a complete failure. The misjudged, hysterical rhetoric and the use of "rule of law" language, which was mocked not long ago, must have clearly aroused suspicion among a significant portion of PiS voters that someone is trying to pull a fast one on them. Hence, likely, the decision from Nowogrodzka to shift gears and now play the role of positively enthusiastic people with the optimistic (or, if you prefer, surreal) slogan 'We are for it!'” -- THE CAPITAL OF AVERSION AND DISTRUST THAT KACZYŃSKI'S TEAM MANAGED TO ACCUMULATE OVER 8 YEARS OF RULE WILL CONTINUE TO BURDEN THEM FOR A LONG TIME, AND MUCH WATER WILL FLOW UNDER ALL POLISH BRIDGES - DANIELEWSKI'S CONCLUSION: “All of this together means that the capital of aversion and distrust that Jarosław Kaczyński's team managed to accumulate over 8 years of rule will continue to burden them for a long time, and much water must flow under all Polish bridges before Law and Justice can credibly play the victim of persecution. For now, this type of narrative is a shot in the foot and is perceived by the viewers of this spectacle as a deception.” https://oko.press/sondaz-64-proc-polakow-nie-kupuje-opowiesci-o-tusku-dyktatorze -- THEY WERE THE FACES OF LOGGING IN POLISH FORESTS, AFTER THE ELECTIONS THEY LOST THEIR POSITIONS. BUT THEY ARE ALREADY BACK IN THE STATE FORESTS - ALEKSANDER GURGUL IN GW: “Associates of Józef Kubica – a prosecutor loyalist who ended his tenure at State Forests in disgrace – have already found new positions within the structures of this timber giant. They have become forest district managers. Jan Tabor, on the other hand, moved from one directorial position to another, also within a state institution. The ministry is outraged by this fact and is sending in an inspection.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,177851,30767839,poprzednie-kierownictwo-lasow-panstwowych-juz-znalazlo-prace.html -- THE CONSERVATIVE POLITICAL LINE OF THE THIRD WAY IS A THREAT TO THE DEMOCRATIC CAMP - MAREK BEYLIN IN GW: “The leaders of the Third Way, opposing the right to abortion against the majority of their electorate, in incomprehensible blindness are destroying the loyalty of female voters to an already fragile democracy. In doing so, they are endangering Poland's democratic future altogether. Because, let me remind you of the obvious, democracy won on October 15th largely thanks to the mobilization of women and young people. Disregarding their needs and demands is a path to democratic self-destruction.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,30771225,pogrzeb-pis-nie-oznacza-trwalego-zwyciestwa-demokracji.html -- THE THIRD WAY'S APPROACH HELPS IT POACH PIS SUPPORTERS - ANDRZEJ MACHOWSKI IN GW: “CBOS polls show a change here: support for democrats (Civic Coalition, Third Way, and The Left combined) increased by 3.8 percentage points from early January to late February (from 35.2% to 39%), but this time it is not a consequence of mobilizing additional supporters, but rather the effect of winning over a portion of PiS voters, whose ratings fell by 5.4 percentage points during this period. However, this success of the democrats is almost entirely thanks to the Third Way. (...) I would also prefer it to look different. However, the CBOS polls leave no room for doubt: in the pious work of winning over PiS voters, the Third Way is currently the only effective force on the democratic side.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,30771172,kto-przejmuje-wyborcow-pis-analiza-sondazy.html -- MUCH INDICATES THAT PIS MAY LOSE POWER IN ALMOST ALL REGIONAL ASSEMBLIES WHERE IT CURRENTLY GOVERNS IN THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS - PIOTR ŚMIŁOWICZ IN TYGODNIK POWSZECHNY: “Much indicates that PiS may lose power in almost all regional assemblies where it governs in the upcoming elections – even the strongholds of Podkarpacie and Lublin are at risk. In addition to the public's ongoing fatigue with the United Right's intrusive governance, a significant factor in this crisis is the complete loss of public media, which served as PiS's 'propaganda department' and effectively reached the electorate. The source of the trouble also lies in the party leader's demeanor – after the elections, he is doubling down on the narrative that cost him power. This may consolidate the party temporarily, but it causes concern among activists about whether Jarosław Kaczyński still possesses political acumen and a vision for the party's future.” -- PIS HAS BROUGHT THIS PILE OF PROBLEMS UPON ITSELF. AS EARLY AS 2018, BEFORE THE LAST LOCAL ELECTIONS, IT EXTENDED THE TERM OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FROM 4 TO 5 YEARS - CONTINUES ŚMIŁOWICZ IN TYGODNIK: “PiS has brought this pile of problems upon itself. As early as 2018, before the last local elections, it extended the term of local governments from 4 to 5 years. This was justified because, at the same time, a limitation of two terms for directly elected mayors and presidents was introduced. However, later, under the pretext of the local elections coinciding with parliamentary elections, the former were moved to spring 2024, even though they are now taking place close to the European Parliament elections.” -- THE CAMPAIGN CLEARLY SHOWS THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT AND MOST INTERESTING CONTESTS WILL TAKE PLACE WITHIN THE OCTOBER 15 COALITION, NOT IN THE FIGHT AGAINST PIS - CONTINUES ŚMIŁOWICZ IN TYGODNIK: “The complexity of political configurations and inter-party (and sometimes intra-party) rivalries is most evident in the process of selecting candidates for the mayors of the largest cities. Although still rather sluggish, the campaign clearly shows that the most important and most interesting contests will take place within the October 15 Coalition, not in the fight against PiS. This is particularly visible in Warsaw, where Kaczyński's candidate, Tobiasz Bocheński, has no chance of winning.” https://www.tygodnikpowszechny.pl/wojna-na-dole-kto-wygra-wybory-samorzadowe-186399 -- FOR DECADES, NO ONE IN POLAND HAS HAD MORE POWER THAN TUSK. AND YET – HE HAS ALSO DESIRED THE POWER THAT THE POLICE BATON GIVES – MICHAŁ KARNOWSKI: “For decades, no one in Poland has had more power than Tusk. He has not only political power but also almost full control over media, academia, judiciary, and business, plus the unconditional support of external powers who see him as a convenient representative. And yet – he has also desired the power that the police baton gives. He is clearly striving for absolute power, and intimidating Poles is crucial for the realization of this pursuit. We shouldn't be particularly surprised by this – if the goal is to take away our sovereignty and independence, which is the sense of German projects for the centralization of Europe, and if he must halt our development, which has consumed all his energy since taking power, then he must first bind us completely.” https://wpolityce.pl/polityka/684255-tusk-zapragnal-i-tej-wladzy-ktora-daje-policyjna-palka -- MORAWIECKI: CONTRARY TO THE SPREAD LIES, THE PIS GOVERNMENT DID NOT AGREE TO THE GREEN DEAL FOR AGRICULTURE IN THE FORM CURRENTLY PUSHED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION: “There is NOT A SINGLE WORD in there about plans to introduce all these regulations that farmers are currently protesting against. The transcripts of the statements confirm my lack of consent.” https://www.facebook.com/MorawieckiPL/posts/pfbid0i9EQqiyYyntYicGJRQB678DaJZ7GEoY82xxLTsuWtPTmtfmYosA3Pqcfc511BXV9l?ref=embed_post -- PRIVATIZATION, DEREGULATION, A RESPONSIBLE APPROACH TO DEMOGRAPHICS, OR STARTING A DISCUSSION ABOUT JOINING THE EUROZONE - PIS AND OTHER POPULIST FORCES TRIED TO DISCREDIT THESE TOPICS. NOW WE NEED TO RETURN TO THEM - ARKADIUSZ MUŚ IN GW. -- POLAND, JUST LIKE IN 1989, SHOULD BECOME A LEADER IN BOLD REFORMS AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, BUT ALSO ACROSS THE ENTIRE EU - WRITES ARKADIUSZ MUŚ FURTHER IN GW: “Today, those governing in Germany, France, or Great Britain are dealing with local problems and weakening support. In this situation, Poland, using its strengths and a new political opening, should seize the moment and, as in 1989, become a leader in bold reforms at the national level, but also across the entire EU. Over the past eight years, we have wasted many opportunities for real and good changes in the economy. Ambitious reforms will allow us to make up for this lost time.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,30769897,glos-przedsiebiorcy-polska-znow-powinna-stac-sie-europejskim.html -- BY ANNOUNCING THE DECISION TO DELAY WORK ON PROJECTS LIBERALIZING ABORTION, SEJM MARSHAL SZYMON HOŁOWNIA HAD ONE HIDDEN GOAL. HE WANTED TO FORCE THE LEFT TO MAKE A CLEAR DECLARATION THAT THEY WOULD NOT THROW AWAY THE THIRD WAY'S PROJECT, WHICH REINSTATES THE SO-CALLED ABORTION COMPROMISE - ANDRZEJ STANKIEWICZ IN ONE. -- HE ALSO FEARED THAT IN THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO FOR THE COALITION, ALL PROJECTS WOULD FAIL IN THE FIRST READING BECAUSE CONSERVATIVE MPs OF THE COALITION – MAINLY FROM PSL AND POLSKA2050 – WOULD REJECT PROJECTS INTRODUCING FREE ABORTION UP TO THE 12TH WEEK - CONTINUES STANKIEWICZ: “Hołownia's intention was not only to escape the trap set for him by the Left. He also feared that in the worst-case scenario for the coalition, all projects would fail in the first reading because conservative MPs of the coalition – mainly from PSL and Polska2050 – would reject projects introducing free abortion up to the 12th week, while liberal MPs of the coalition – mainly from the Left and Civic Coalition – would reject the project of returning to the abortion compromise. Indeed, such a situation cannot be ruled out, and the rejection of all projects would lead to a crisis in the coalition and place the parties forming it in a terrible situation during the election campaign.” -- THIS DISPUTE OVER ABORTION IS PERFECT POLITICAL FUEL FOR THE LEFT IN THE CAMPAIGN. - STATES STANKIEWICZ: “this dispute over abortion is perfect political fuel for the Left in the campaign. Ever since Donald Tusk broke off talks with Włodzimierz Czarzasty about a joint run in the local elections, the Left has become very active on the issue of abortion. It is their main electoral fuel. The aforementioned attack by Czarzasty on Hołownia occurred precisely at that time – after the failure of negotiations for the Left to run with Civic Coalition. – It is clear to us that the Left is in a difficult situation before the elections, hence their focus on abortion. They have no other topics that could mobilize their electorate – a high-ranking politician from the Third Way tells Onet.” https://www.onet.pl/informacje/onetwiadomosci/wojna-o-aborcje-wiemy-dlaczego-szymon-holownia-odsunal-debate-w-sejmie/8jhnq4e,79cfc278