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Large demonstration in Warsaw: Poland’s opposition is mobilizing
Opposition leader Donald Tusk speaks during the march in support of the opposition against the populist ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party. photo
© Rafal Oleksiewicz/AP/dpa
Two weeks before the parliamentary elections in Poland, opposition supporters are demonstrating against the PiS government. But it is still ahead in surveys. Will the demo bring the hoped-for breakthrough?
The demonstrators repeatedly chant: “We will win! We will win!” The supporters are crowded together Poland’s opposition at the “March of a Million Hearts” through the center of Warsaw. In some places in the city center it takes more than an hour for the endless demonstration procession to pass.
According to the city administration, around a million people are voicing their dissatisfaction with the policies of the national-conservative PiS government. “This is the largest demonstration in Warsaw’s history,” says the town hall spokeswoman. According to its own calculations, the Onet.pl portal has 800,000 participants.
“Nothing can stop this power,” says opposition leader Donald Tusk, buoyed by the success. Whether this actually happens will be decided on October 15th. Then Poland elects a new parliament. And so far, Jaroslaw Kaczynski’s national conservatives are leading in all polls.
“March of a Million Hearts”
In order to properly mobilize their supporters on the home stretch, Tusk’s liberal-conservative Citizens’ Coalition (KO) called for the “March of a Million Hearts”. The left-wing alliance Lewica also supported the demonstration. Despite the cool autumn weather, people from all over the country flocked to downtown Warsaw.
“I want an open, European Poland. We want to look to the future instead of constantly digging into the past and looking for hostilities with neighbors like Germany,” says Iwona (59), who lives with her husband Andrzej from Bialystok in the east of the country arrived in the country.
Tomasz Szulc wears a red-haired wig to the demonstration – just like his two friends Marek and Franciszek. The 60-year-old tiler from Torun explains that the wig is an allusion to incitement on the public broadcaster TVP, which is controlled by the PiS and whose presenter described Tusk as “red-haired and mean.” “I’m just embarrassed by this government, this entire state.”
Morawiecki plays the anti-German card
While the opposition marches through the streets of Warsaw, the PiS is holding a campaign rally in Katowice, Silesia. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki is once again playing the anti-German card. “Donald Tusk listened to Angela Merkel, who whispered in his ear that he should raise the retirement age,” he tells the audience. The PiS has been trying for years to discredit Tusk as a German henchman.
If you believe the polls, the PiS has a good chance of remaining in power after October 15th. However, this time it could need a coalition partner – and find it in the ultra-right Konfederacja. This party calls for a total ban on abortion, and its representatives do not shy away from anti-Semitic conspiracy myths. The Konfederacja is particularly popular with young men from the countryside.
The situation is not easy with regard to coalitions
For many city dwellers in Poland in particular, a coalition based on PiS and Konfederacja seems like a nightmare. But the situation is not easy in the spectrum of liberal and left-wing parties. Tusk’s Citizens Coalition is in second place in polls. Even if the momentum from the demonstration were to result in victory, it would probably need another coalition partner in addition to the Left.
This third party in the alliance would be the Christian-pro-European alliance Third Way. But the new formation of former presidential candidate Szymon Holownia and the farmers’ party PSL is vying for some of the same voters as Tusk. The leadership of the Third Way decided not to take part in the “March of a Million Hearts”. She fears that a success of the event could only bring Tusk’s formation more votes. Nevertheless, Tusk also found kind words for the Third Way bosses at the demonstration. And he appeals to those who are undecided to definitely go to the polls.