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Post by Jaga on Mar 9, 2016 23:17:33 GMT -7
Poland's top court strikes down 'unconstitutional' reforms
Warsaw (AFP) - Poland's Constitutional Court on Wednesday struck down a set of government reforms concerning its judges that have paralysed the EU member state's top court, sparking a constitutional crisis.
The populist Law and Justice (PiS) government, which has drawn criticism at home and abroad over several controversial laws since coming to power in October, said in advance it would not recognise the ruling.
The move appears to have set it on a collision course with the European Union, which launched an unprecedented probe in January into the reforms that could trigger punitive measures.
Chief Justice Andrzej Rzeplinski said the court found that many sections of the law passed in December 2015 were "non-compliant with the Polish Constitution".
The law "prevents the honest and proper functioning of the ... Constitutional Court, by interfering in its independence and separation from other powers, thus violating the principles of the rule of law," Rzeplinski said.
The new law also raised the bar for Constitutional Court rulings from a simple majority to a two-thirds majority, while requiring 13 judges to be present for the most contentious cases instead of nine previously, among other changes.
View gallery
Supporters of the Committee for the Defense of Democracy …
Supporters of the Committee for the Defense of Democracy movement stage a protest in front of the Po …
Legal and opposition figures have slammed the law for paralysing the court and removing important checks on the government's power.
It has also triggered mass street protests by tens of thousands of Poles worried about democracy in the ex-communist EU and NATO member of 38 million people, also an economic and political heavyweight in central Europe.
- 'Checks and balances' -
In a leaked draft report, European legal experts from the Council of Europe rights watchdog warned that the government reforms undermine democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Poland.
The commission is due to publish its official report by Saturday. Although it findings are not binding, the European Union is likely to review them as part of its own rule of law probe.
View gallery
Andrzej Rzeplinski, head of Poland's Constitutional …
Andrzej Rzeplinski, head of Poland's Constitutional Court, attends a session at the Constitution …
PiS party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski, seen as Poland's real decision-maker despite holding no formal government post, has dubbed the Council of Europe opinion "legally absurd".
He insisted the reforms to the top court were a "matter of national sovereignty" and that government would not back down.
Prime Minister Beata Szydlo discounted Wednesday's ruling out of hand insisting a day earlier that "the statement that will be delivered by some of the judges of the Constitutional Court will not be a verdict in the legal sense of the term."
Some, however, called the reforms a blow to democracy.
"If the government doesn't abide by the constitutional court's ruling soon, we're dealing the biggest crisis in the history of Republic and a constitutional coup d'etat," Ryszard Petru, leader of the liberal 'Modern' opposition party said Wednesday.
"PiS has fundamentally violated the constitution, its contempt for the separation of powers defacto allows me to say without hesitation that democracy has stopped functioning in Poland," Professor Radoslaw Markowski, a political scientist and member of Poland's Academy of Sciences told AFP Wednesday.
"There is no rule of law; checks and balances on power are gone," he added.
Warsaw University sociologist Maciej Gdula told AFP the ongoing "institutional crisis is the worst since 1989", when Poland shed communism.
"The EU doesn't really have any way to influence it. The only way would be to exclude Poland from the European Council, but that would require unanimous support and Hungary has already said it would object."
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Post by kaima on Mar 10, 2016 1:11:35 GMT -7
Europe’s Illiberal DemocraciesSylvie Kauffmann MARCH 9, 2016 www.nytimes.com/2016/03/10/opinion/europes-illiberal-democracies.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=Moth-Visible&moduleDetail=inside-nyt-region-1&module=inside-nyt-region®ion=inside-nyt-region&WT.nav=inside-nyt-region&_r=0Paris — Twenty-five years ago, in February 1991, the leaders of Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary met in Visegrad, a Hungarian town overlooking the Danube. Those three countries had recently broken free of the Soviet bloc; their newly elected leaders, Lech Walesa, Vaclav Havel and Jozsef Antall, had taken an active part in the liberation. Two, Mr. Havel and Mr. Walesa, had been jailed for their activities. From Our Advertisers The Visegrad meeting had one central purpose: to accelerate the integration of the three countries into a free, democratic and prosperous Europe, through NATO and what was then the European Economic Community of 12 member states. Western European leaders looked favorably on the Visegrad Group: Central Europeans could practice regional cooperation before joining the adults’ group of what would become the European Union. Visegrad was where the kings of Bohemia, Hungary and Poland parlayed in 1335. Since then, these nations had gone through many wars and occupations, their borders redrawn several times, or even dissolved altogether. Today, the Visegrad bloc is experiencing a resurgence of sorts. In a splintering familiar to Central Europe, the Visegrad Three became four: Czechoslovakia ceased to exist in 1993, giving way to the Czech Republic and Slovakia. All four joined the European Union in 2004. But when they get together today, it is to fight the union. Over the centuries, they have been dominated by Prussia, Austria, Germany and Russia; in 2016, the common enemy is Brussels. To Western Europeans, it is unsettling to see a new East-West divide emerging, threatening to fracture the European Union itself. The Visegrad countries’ opposition to Brussels is different from Britain’s. They don’t want to leave the union, they just refuse to abide by some of its rules. The Romanian-born French political scientist Pierre Hassner has reminded us of the concept of “collective neurosis,” a notion devised by the Hungarian philosopher Istvan Bibo in his 1946 book “The Misery of the Small Eastern European States.” Bibo described the existential angst of Eastern and Central European states leading sometimes to “political hysteria.” Political hysteria reigns today over the European Commission initiative to assign refugee quotas to each member state. Mr. Havel and Mr. Antall, the voices of reason, have passed away. Mr. Walesa, the hero of the Solidarity movement, is fighting accusations of collaborating with Poland’s former Communist authorities. In parliamentary elections in Slovakia, where Prime Minister Robert Fico has indulged in fierce anti-immigrant rhetoric, a far-right party with neo-Nazi ties just won 14 seats. The new rulers in Warsaw, Prague, Bratislava and Budapest flatly refuse Muslim refugees. They don’t want the ethnic, religious and cultural homogeneity of their societies to change. They see multiculturalism as a failed model. Hearing such messages from Donald J. Trump or Marine Le Pen is bad enough, but from the leaders of these new democracies? The way these leaders practice democracy, bending the rule of law as far as they can within an elected government, is equally unsettling to the older democracies of Western Europe. Another French political scientist, the Czech-born Jacques Rupnik, has identified two converging trends. “We are witnessing a democratic regression and identity-related tensions on migration, and both phenomena are strengthening each other,” he told me. “The same nationalist conservative authoritarianism at work in domestic politics also applies to the response to the refugee crisis, notably different from the European Commission’s and most other member states’ responses.” Once the poster children of post-Communist transition, these countries were not supposed to take such a turn. With its so-called goulash socialism, Hungary was the most liberal of the Soviet satellites and eased peacefully into democratic rule. Poland was more restless, but once it had been the catalyst for the collapse of Communism, it managed the shock therapy of moving to a market economy with impressive discipline. The Czechs and Slovaks, it was hoped, would behave as Mr. Havel’s enlightened heirs. But no Communist country had ever experienced these radical shifts to democracy and market economics. Only Czechoslovakia had enjoyed genuine democratic rule, between the two world wars. The end of the Cold War made Europeans euphoric: Once democratic institutions were built, free elections held and centralized economies replaced with capitalist ones, everyone assumed the job was done. Joining NATO and the European Union was the icing on the cake. In 2008, with “end of history” hubris, a World Bank report proclaimed that the transition was over. Mission accomplished. Obviously, it was not. The effort to transform the economy was so demanding for the new democratic elites that little attention was paid to nurturing a new political culture. Modern Hungarian and Polish politics look riven with the legacy of Communism, trouble with sharing power, conspiracy theories and exclusionary discourse toward opponents. Another, overlooked, factor is that most people in these countries are still poor. Despite nonstop economic growth since 1992, Poland’s gross domestic product is only 68 percent of the European Union’s per capita average. When Poland’s foreign minister, Witold Waszczykowski, says the world should not move in one single direction — “toward a new mix of cultures and races, a world of cyclists and vegetarians” — he is rejecting the progressive social values perceived as part of the Western European economic model. The Visegrad bloc has welcomed European Union subsidies, so crucial to their development. But we in Old Europe never really insisted that a democratic culture and diversity were also part of the deal; we didn’t think we had to. Is the rise of so-called illiberal democracy threatening the union’s cohesion? Maybe. But Euroskeptic populist movements are far from a purely Central European phenomenon; they are also on the move in the union’s founding member states. Twenty-five years after the Visegrad summit, Europe is still searching for unity — but the mood has shifted: from solidarity to recrimination. Sylvie Kauffmann, the editorial director and a former editor in chief of Le Monde, is a contributing opinion writer.
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Post by karl on Mar 10, 2016 6:30:05 GMT -7
Jaga and Kai
Being as my self Non-Polish with out any vested interest, but that as an observer of currant Polish affairs. Perhaps still to provide a comment or two. It is very apparent, Poland as a democratic nation of principals, has set into a new direction as guided by Mr. Kacznski. Rather agreed upon or disagreed upon, non the less the cast was set with free democratic elections by the Polish people. It will be as it is for at least until circumstances dictate other wise. It will then be until the dust settles over changes set about by Mr. Kacznski will a more clear view be afforded as to how Poland will be received and viewed by their opposites in the EU.
Very few enjoy change, and as in this situation, considerable change has been instituted by Mr. Kacznski rather be it to the liking of a few or the many is out of the question. What is valid and present, are those changes and the Polish people must now understand and abide by the dectates of their own government.
The present Polish Government, is a stable government and fully recognized by the international community as one. It {Polish government} is still a valued member of the EU community of recognized membership and as to the currant present and understandable future, will be as it is.
I fully realize the above comments are perhaps not so welcomed, as to be swimming against the currant of popular feelings. Perhaps it is some vestage of gentic aberration of Dansk, perhaps a clash between the Dansk mix with Teutonic in thinking. I would prefer to believe it is the thoughts of freedom/respect and independence that is the motive of recognition and respect for anothers way of life.
Karl
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Post by JustJohn or JJ on Mar 10, 2016 7:00:34 GMT -7
 Poland's Constitutional Court clashes with new government 9 March 2016 From the section Europe  The Constitutional Court's ruling came at the end of a two-day sitting Many changes Poland's new conservative government has made to the functioning of the top legislative court are unconstitutional, judges have ruled. However the government has indicated it will not recognize the Constitutional Court's judgment. The new rules increase the number of judges needed for a ruling and change the order in which cases are heard. The court's verdict means the country is heading towards a constitutional crisis, observers say. The government is already coming under scrutiny from both Brussels and Washington for allegedly endangering democratic checks and balances, says the BBC's Adam Easton in Warsaw. Since coming to power in October, the Law and Justice party (PiS) has regularly come to blows with the media and the opposition. 'Dramatically limiting' Late last year the government passed legal amendments changing the way the Constitutional Court operates. They require a two-thirds majority of the 15 judges to support a ruling for it to be valid, and also stipulate a quorum of 13 judges for rulings to be valid.  Critics says the changes have paralysed the court The PiS says the changes are needed to reflect the new balance of power after its landslide election win last year, Reuters news agency reported. Prime Minister Beata Szydlo said the Constitutional Court's judgment would not be legally valid because the court had failed to adhere to the rule changes introduced by her party. But critics say the changes mean the court is now unable to examine government legislation. "Dramatically limiting the court's ability to function independently and thoroughly contravenes Poland's (political) system and cannot be tolerated," said Judge Stanislaw Biernat, announcing the ruling after a two-day session. This issue has sparked protests against and in support of the government's stand. The amendments to the law governing the court are being investigated by the European Commission for a possible breach of the rule of law. Last month, a draft report by the Council of Europe - a human rights watchdog - said the changes make it extremely difficult for the court to take decisions, thereby endangering the rule of law. |
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Post by pieter on Mar 10, 2016 8:23:06 GMT -7
Dear Jaga, Ron, Karl and John, I look with amazement at Poland and unfortunately the old Dutch saying ' Polish landtag'comes to my mind. The Polish parliament, political climate and society seems to be very divided and in a quarreling state right now. The Polish landtag stands for total chaos, disagreements, quarelling parliamentarians, political fractions and political parties. It stems from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Polish kingdom of the past in which there was a artistocratic nobility democracy of the elite. These nobels argued and quarelled with eachother. That made the country weak. And the foreign enemies, the Prussian, Austrian and Czarist Russians took advantage of the Polish division, internal strife and the deliberate weakness of the state, which was created by the aristocratic Polish magnats (high nobility of counts, dukes and barons) who didn't want a powerful monarch (king). The difference with the Polish past of the late middle ages and the Renaissance is the fact that the Polish opposition today is relatively honest, sincere, concerned, pragmatic, Polish Patriotic, democratic and not focussed on weakening central power or Polish position in Europe and the world. The present day opposition, like these Chief Justice of the Polish constitutional court, is really concerned about the Trias Politica (The separation of powers) in Poland. I am very glad that Chief Justice Andrzej Rzeplinski spoke out and justly stated that many sections of the law passed in December 2015 were (are) " non-compliant with the Polish Constitution".  Chief Justice Andrzej RzeplinskiIt is not about wheter you are Pro- or anti-PiS, but whether you are Pro- or Anti-constitution and the basic principles of the Polish democracy. Eearlier governments like SLD-PSL and PO-PSL also received criticism and opposition. That was good too. Poles should object to and demonstrate every time the constitution, the principle of ' The separation of powers' (the mechanism of checks and balances) are at stake and when governments have corrupt elements or nepotist practices. It's up to the Poles to solve this constitutional and political crisis. The government has a majoirity, but do to a new opposition movement (KOD), the political balance of power may shift soon. Former supporters of PiS may change sides, or other developments may occur. Cheers, Pieter |
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Post by Jaga on Mar 10, 2016 9:11:25 GMT -7
I agree with Kai, that the Visegrad's union is not what it used to be. Pieter, it is sad that Poles have opinion of arguing and fighting like according to the 'Polish landtag' saying.
The good and bad - I see the same in the US, where the current president is being delegitimized, not even given a chance to choose a supreme court justice and the current election process just looks as a circus.
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Post by karl on Mar 10, 2016 10:16:06 GMT -7
Pieter My self am remiss for not includant of your self with Jaga, John and Kai, it was simply of writing with a partially engaged brain and no second cup of morning coffee. Primary reason of this reply was of the above and to round off with a comment directly relating to my previous post reply. In essence: What is occurring in Poland at this time, is temporary, although many are upset both being those of the European Commission that their importance has been challenged and those Polish people that oppose The new PiS government. The following url best describes more then my simplistic manner of writing: charlescrawford.biz/2016/01/07/pis-and-polands-democracy/Karl |
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Post by pieter on Mar 10, 2016 15:44:44 GMT -7
Jaga and Kai Being as my self Non-Polish with out any vested interest, but that as an observer of currant Polish affairs. Perhaps still to provide a comment or two. It is very apparent, Poland as a democratic nation of principals, has set into a new direction as guided by Mr. Kacznski. Rather agreed upon or disagreed upon, non the less the cast was set with free democratic elections by the Polish people. It will be as it is for at least until circumstances dictate other wise. It will then be until the dust settles over changes set about by Mr. Kacznski will a more clear view be afforded as to how Poland will be received and viewed by their opposites in the EU. Very few enjoy change, and as in this situation, considerable change has been instituted by Mr. Kacznski rather be it to the liking of a few or the many is out of the question. What is valid and present, are those changes and the Polish people must now understand and abide by the dectates of their own government. The present Polish Government, is a stable government and fully recognized by the international community as one. It {Polish government} is still a valued member of the EU community of recognized membership and as to the currant present and understandable future, will be as it is. I fully realize the above comments are perhaps not so welcomed, as to be swimming against the currant of popular feelings. Perhaps it is some vestage of gentic aberration of Dansk, perhaps a clash between the Dansk mix with Teutonic in thinking. I would prefer to believe it is the thoughts of freedom/respect and independence that is the motive of recognition and respect for anothers way of life. Karl Dear Karl, It is said that Poles can be stubborn, very individualistic and that there are many, many, many Polish visions, opinions and political and religious directions. You have various sorts of Roman-Catholicism, conservatism, liberalism and other kinds of views over there. Like in Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands and the USA, but maybe more so. It is my mother -with her Polish roots- who first told me Poles can be stubborn and difficult people. In Poland in contrast with what you would think of me I avoided political discussions. I was a guest there, a foreigner, and I was interested in my families past over there, the memories which I have as a child and teenager of the Polish Peoples Republic during the seventies and eighties, and the Warsaw I saw in 2006 and the Krakow I saw in 2004. I give my opinion from the North-Western corner of Western-Europe in the cultural and political, and maybe social and psychological mindset of the Dutch-Flemish/German/British triangle. (My influence zone without the French, Italian and etc. voices) And in that West-European triangle there is an American influence of the American media, American family and American friends. This is very far away from the Polish mindset, which is very pure ethnic (a homogenic country), very Roman-Catholic and very Slavic (West-Slavic to be precise). No large minorities (like we Dutch, Danes and Germans have), no dominant other religions and no ethnic divisions. The Polish polarisation, political conflict and constitutional crisis is an internal strife within one people. Poland always was divided in the past, Poland is divided today and Poland will be divided tomorrow, because you have ultra-conservative Roman-Catholic nationalists, you have moderate conservative Roman-Catholics, you have liberal Roman-Catholics, you have secular Polish-Roman Catholics, and you have Polish minorities of Polish Calvinists, Polish orthodox christians, Polish Lutherans and Polish Muslims and jews. In my opinion the present PiS-Solidarna Polska government came to power due to the votes of real PiS supporters and unconcious protest votes of Poles who were fed up by the 8 year rule of Civic Platform. Some of these voters might be disappointed by the present government, others will cheer the change and the radical steps the new democratically elected government took. Sometimes a minority can rise against a democratic majority if that minority has ground reasons to protest and believes that the majority made the wrong dicision. The NSDAP was also chosen by a German majority in 1933, but a German minority of some Social-democrats, some Roman-Catholic Zentrum people, some Prussian aristocratic junkers, some communists, and some protestant chiristians (Die Bekennende Kirche) and some students (Die Weiße Rose; Willi Graf, Christoph Probst, Alexander Schmorell, Hans Scholl en Sophie Scholl) decided to go against the majority rule and to protest inhumanity, prosecution, human rights abuses and the lack of Trias Politica of that time. Ofcourse the present Polish government is chosen democratically and ofcourse the present government will rule the comming four years. After four years the Polish people can judge them and vote in favor or against them. Time will tell which direction Poland will go! Cheers, Pieter |
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Post by karl on Mar 10, 2016 15:59:57 GMT -7
Pieter
Your reply was not only very thoughtful and well balanced. For you have also provided and insight into the thought processes of the Polish mindset. Of course, we may not use broad brush strokes for all Polish people, but this as you have provided, gives the answers to some questions I have held for my experience with past Polish Nationals that once were on this forum.
Are you able to keep in good contact with your relatives in Poland, perhaps through your mother? Family is precious for time places tricks upon us as mortals by taking our loved ones away all too soon.
Karl
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Post by Jaga on Mar 11, 2016 9:16:59 GMT -7
+++It is said that Poles can be stubborn, very individualistic and that there are many, many, many Polish visions, opinions and political and religious directions. You have various sorts of Roman-Catholicism, conservatism, liberalism and other kinds of views over there. Like in Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands and the USA, but maybe more so.+++
I think that Poland is large enough and has a long history of division (partition) between different countries that shaped different minds differently. Too bad, that Kaczynski try to force a vision of his Poland.
+++In my opinion the present PiS-Solidarna Polska government came to power due to the votes of real PiS supporters and unconcious protest votes of Poles who were fed up by the 8 year rule of Civic Platform. +++
yes, agreed
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Post by pieter on Mar 12, 2016 5:56:00 GMT -7
Like many European nations Poland faces internal and external challanges. The situation in Ukraine, it's relationship with Russia, Lithuania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Germany, the USA, France, Great-Britain, Hungary, Italy, and the other European nations. Poland faces criticism from it's allies; the EU and the USA. And Poland feels threatend by the military, economical and political presence and action of the Russian Federation nearby. Poland took a firm turn to the right with an archconservative and nationalistic agenda. Both Europeans and Americans have to get used to that, because they dealt with reasonable, and moderate Polish governments, both leftwing and rightwing ones.
The present Polish government is different due to it's make up, heritage, foundation, ideas, views, opinions, ideology, political stance, measures, policies and confrontation course with the firm Polish opposition, neighbours like Germany and the EU, and even the USA is critical. The latter irritated the Polish government.
A bipartisan group of senators, Arizona's John McCain, Benjamin Cardin of Maryland and Richard Durbin of Illinois, sent a letter in februari to Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo expressing their concern that the new laws affecting the constitutional court and public media "could serve to diminish democratic norms, including the rule of law and independence of the judiciary."
The senators, who described themselves as "friends of Poland," urged the Warsaw government to "recommit" to shared Western democratic values.
"An erosion of democracy in Poland would undermine liberal institutions that have successfully expanded prosperity, peace, stability, and tolerance within Europe at a time when these institutions are greatly needed," the senators wrote to Szydlo.
In a reply, Szydlo said her government's changes to the court were simply a corrective to attempts by the previous government to control the court. And she said the American politicians do not have the right to be "lecturing and imposing actions on the internal affairs of my fatherland."
Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski lashed out Monday against the suggestion that anything is amiss in Poland and said the letter is the "result of a lack of knowledge about what is happening in Poland and was inspired by people who wish Poland harm."
Cheers,
Pieter
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Post by karl on Mar 12, 2016 6:58:52 GMT -7
Pieter
Well, as exampled by this presentation, the heat is being turned up by those American senators and being rebuffed by both Szydlo and FM Witold Waszczykowski. This would be normal due to their respective positions in the new government. Whilst though, those senators should have in respect to protocol used the diplomatic approach through each respective embassie and let the professionals conduct such actions.
There is though, a manner of risk in rebuffing those senators as a group, for this smackes of a coalition representing the high office of the US to carry out the wishes of the American President. If this is the case, then the instance of cause and effect could come into play. For what the Americans give, they can take and this would be through the change of their foreign policy. With this, The Americans control NATO and the EU is through the central office of Brussels. Both though, merge very closely with combined operations through the EU of which Poland is a part of. It is through this, that Poland has the responsibility of vicarious responsibility by association of membership.
In short, playing international politics should be left to professionals.
Karl
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Post by Jaga on Mar 12, 2016 8:58:02 GMT -7
Pieter, Karl. I agree that Kaczynski's government should not rebuffle this letter. Blad McCain was a part of it. It feels that there is a moment of suspension. Nobody knows what would happen in Poland..... I believe that Kaczynski thinks he is doing right things, but in reality he acts like a dictator. He was anti-communistic because of teh dictatorhip then, but now he plays by the same rules.
+++A bipartisan group of senators, Arizona's John McCain, Benjamin Cardin of Maryland and Richard Durbin of Illinois, sent a letter in februari to Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo expressing their concern that the new laws affecting the constitutional court and public media "could serve to diminish democratic norms, including the rule of law and independence of the judiciary."
The senators, who described themselves as "friends of Poland," urged the Warsaw government to "recommit" to shared Western democratic values.+++
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Post by Jaga on Mar 15, 2016 8:36:36 GMT -7
There is awful lots of bad news coming from Poland. The government does not allow releasing the statement of the Poland's supreme court which they want to change.... Poland is ruled by claustrophobic and conspiracy driven people. Here is more: neurope.eu/article/polands-new-police-surveillance-law-investigation/A new law in Poland that gives the police greater access to tap telephones and internet use of criminal suspects will be reviewed by the Venice Commission, a pan-European rights body of the Council of Europe. As reported by Radio Poland, opponents argue the new law encroaches on citizen’s privacy. Human rights group Amnesty International has described the law as “a major blow to human rights”. The news comes hot on the heels of a report by Venice Commission last week which criticised Poland and warned that the rule of law, democracy and human rights were in danger as long as the country was embroiled in a constitutional crisis. Council of Europe spokesman Panos Kakaviatos told the Polish Press Agency (PAP) that the date of the commission trip to Poland was not yet known. The Venice Commission has already visited Warsaw once – to probe whether democratic standards are being upheld in Poland and examine changes to the country’s Constitutional Tribunal – following an invitation by Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski. Meanwhile, the Venice Commission issued an opinion last week accusing Poland’s ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party of effectively crippling the country’s constitutional court, a verdict that could put Warsaw on a collision course with the European Union. As reported by the Reuters news agency, opinions of the Council of Europe are non-binding, but they carry weight with the EU Commission, which has begun an unprecedented inquiry into the rule of law in Poland that could result in the suspension of Warsaw’s voting rights in the EU. |
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Post by pieter on Mar 15, 2016 13:12:54 GMT -7
Dear Jaga,
To be honest I am worried about Poland, the Netherlands and the USA. Poland has Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the Netherlands have Geert Wilders and the USA has Donald Trump. If Donald Trump wins, rightwing Populist movements will win too. Geert Wilders PVV, the Flemish Vlaams Belang, the German Alternative für Deutschland, the French Front National and the Italian Lega Nord.
Jaroslaw Kaczynski faces huge resistance in his country, I wonder if the USA and the Netherlands will follow. Trump and Wilders are building a movement. Poland is not the only country with claustrophobic and conspiracy driven people. You have them over here and the USA too.
Look at this speech Wilders gave in front of the Flemish supporters of the far right and nationalist party Vlaams Belang in Brussels. He is a popular in Belgium as he is popular in the Netherlands by people who like Trump, Pegida and Alternative für Deutschland more than they like their own prime minister, government and the king. The hatred for the old establishment and politicians and political correctness is large in all these three countries.
Cheers,
Pieter
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