Hopes fade for Polish engagement on the European stage
A year and a half ago, Donald Tusk's appointment as head of the Polish government was widely welcomed across Europe. From Paris to Berlin, Madrid to Brussels, political leaders hailed the defeat of the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party and heralded Warsaw's big comeback to the European stage. The victory of the nationalist, eurosceptic and pro-Trump candidate Karol Nawrocki in Poland's presidential election on June 1 dealt a blow to those aspirations, not least due to the major geopolitical challenges the European Union currently faces, from the war in Ukraine to Donald Trump's return to the White House in the United States. I am skeptical.
Nawrocki succeeds Andrzej Duda, another PiS member who, over the previous 18 months, used his veto and executive powers to block Tusk from delivering on pledges for progressive reforms to abortion access, LGBTQ+ rights, judicial independence and, more broadly, strengthening the rule of law.
Like his predecessor, Nawrocki was expected to continue blocking such EU-favored liberal reforms. However, "His political views are much more radical than Duda's, which foreshadows a much more difficult coexistence with the Tusk government," said Piotr Buras of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) think tank.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
2 hours ago
- France 24
'Can't be good for either side': Allies fear fallout from Trump–Musk feud
He is almost certainly off the guest list for White House galas, but Elon Musk 's astonishing spat with Donald Trump could inflict damage for both men that goes far beyond catchy headlines and an incinerated friendship. On one side, there's the US president – a man who has already shown unprecedented appetite for using the levers of power to go after opponents. On the other: the world's richest man, with a business empire entwined deep into the heart of the US economy and space industry. 'Get your popcorn,' Chaim Siegel, an analyst at financial services company Elazar Advisors told AFP. 'I've never seen two people this big go at it this nasty in all my time in the business. Can't be good for either side.' Trump allies worry that the messy breakup could have ramifications for his legacy and Republicans' election prospects, as well as damaging the administration's ties with Silicon Valley donors. Musk is also in jeopardy. Trump has threatened to scrap the tech mogul's lucrative subsidies and federal contracts, potentially devastating Tesla and risking some $22 billion of SpaceX 's government income – even if it remains unclear how the US government itself would manage the fallout. MAGA vs 'Tech bros' The catalyst for the split was Trump's sprawling domestic policy bill, a package that Musk has complained in increasingly apocalyptic terms will swell the budget deficit, undermining the president's agenda. But the issue quickly has become extraordinarily bitter. Musk called Thursday for Trump's impeachment, implying that the Republican was linked to the crimes of financier Jeffrey Epstein, who died by suicide after being charged with sex-trafficking to elite, international clients. The dust-up has rocked to the core the fragile coalition between the populists in Trump's 'MAGA' movement and the Musk-friendly 'tech bros' whose podcasts and cash helped secure the Republican's second term. Influential figures on the populist side hit back with calls for investigations into South African-born Musk's immigration status, security clearance and alleged drug use. Meanwhile in Congress, Republicans are calling for a ceasefire, worried that the world's richest man will use his deep pockets to exact revenge in the 2026 midterm congressional election. From election wingman to DOGE chief Trump and Musk were never obvious allies, but the flamboyant entrepreneur turned into the Republican's surprise wingman –and mega-donor – during the 2024 election. Musk ended up spending $290 million to help the campaigns of Trump and other Republicans. He was then rewarded with overseeing the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which embarked on ruthless and, critics say, ideologically driven slashing of the State Department and other bodies. 'Without me, Trump would have lost the election,' Musk posted on his social platform X at the height of a dust-up that US media labelled the 'Clash of the Titans'. As president, Trump is arguably the most powerful person in the world. But Musk's megaphone – X – is much bigger than Trump's Truth Social and he is a prolific trash talker, instantly reaching many millions of people. Musk's portfolio of almost 100 contracts with 17 government agencies also gives him enormous power over the federal bureaucracy, including the US space program. Trump, on the other hand, has ultimate say over those contracts. If Trump heeds his supporters' calls for investigations he could tie Musk down for years, revoking his security clearances and issuing executive orders to gum up his business. Congress in balance Trump, 78, may need to walk a delicate line given the risk that Musk will lobby Congress to scuttle his budget plans. Republican lawmakers – most of whom are fighting elections next year – have welcomed Musk with open arms, nodding approvingly at his calls for federal cuts and grateful for his campaign cash. But when it comes to picking sides, most Republicans who have spoken out on the spat are sticking with Trump. The president has a long history of forcing wavering lawmakers to step back into line. 'Every tweet that goes out, people are more in lockstep behind President Trump, and (Musk's) losing favour,' Congressman Kevin Hern told political website NOTUS. Musk, who dreams of colonising Mars, responded with a longer view of the situation. 'Some food for thought as they ponder this question: Trump has 3.5 years left as President,' Musk posted, 'but I will be around for 40+ years.'
Euronews
4 hours ago
- Euronews
What are the Epstein files Musk accuses Trump of being mentioned in?
'Time to drop the really big bomb: Trump is in the Epstein files," Elon Musk posted on the social media platform X on Thursday in a move that could potentially sever his close friendship with US President Donald Trump. From key ally to the US president to arch enemy almost overnight, Musk has fallen out with Trump over the president's "Big Beautiful Bill". Musk, who funded Trump's election campaign and led the controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has just recently departed the agency and the Trump administration, as he increasingly publicly criticised what he said was a "disgusting abomination" that will "burden American citizens with crushingly unsustainable debt.' Following a series of tweets on the matter, Musk went so far as to accuse Trump without providing evidence of being included in the infamous files — which Trump himself demanded be released, as they purportedly contain the names of a number of high-profile political and business figures in the US and abroad linked to a sexual exploitation scheme involving minors. Trump, whose administration promised to release the Epstein Files, has rejected Musk's allegations, telling reporters Musk had "lost his mind". There is no evidence of his participation in illegal activities with Jeffrey Epstein. An influential US financier, Epstein came under significant public scrutiny after he was accused of sexually abusing dozens of underage girls in the early 2000s, but wound up serving just 13 months in jail. He was indicted on federal charges in New York in 2019, more than a decade after he secretly struck a deal with federal prosecutors in Florida to dispose of similar charges of sex trafficking. The case has drawn widespread attention because of Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell's links to royals, presidents and billionaires. Maxwell herself is the daughter of the late British media tycoon Robert Maxwell, who once owned the New York Daily News. Over the years, thousands of pages of records have been released through lawsuits, Epstein's criminal dockets, public disclosures and Freedom of Information Act requests. In January 2024, a court unsealed the final batch of a trove of documents that had been collected as evidence in a lawsuit filed by Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre. Much of the material, including transcripts of victim interviews and old police reports, had already been publicly known. They included mentions of Trump, former US President Bill Clinton, Britain's Prince Andrew and magician David Copperfield, as well as testimony from one victim who said she met Michael Jackson at Epstein's Florida home, but nothing untoward happened with him. The previously released files included a 2016 deposition in which an accuser recounted spending several hours with Epstein at Trump's Atlantic City casino. However, the documents did not state whether she had actually met Trump or accused him of any wrongdoing. Trump and Epstein have been friends since the late 1980s, when both men were part of the socialite circles in New York. Over the years, the two have partied at Mar-a-Lago, a Palm Beach estate that Trump purchased in 1995, and attended a Victoria's Secret show together. The US president has said in the past that he thought Epstein was a 'terrific guy,' but that they later had a falling out in 2004, reportedly over a botched real estate deal. "He's a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side," Trump told New York Magazine in 2002. Trump has since said he "wasn't a fan" of Epstein. According to media reports, since Epstein's sexual exploitation ring became public, Trump offered support and provided evidence against his once-friend. Epstein did not hold back since the two fell out, either. Trump biographer Michael Wolff last year released tapes of interviews with Epstein, in which he called the US president 'functionally illiterate' and a "horrible human being". The US president's team has rejected allegations of any connection between the two in recent years, stating Wolff — whose tapes showed Epstein knew some details of the inner workings of the first Trump administration between 2017 and 2021 — was "a disgraced writer who routinely fabricates lies". Musk has also been connected to Epstein. Like Trump, in 2014, he was photographed with Epstein's partner Maxwell at a party. Epstein died in apparent suicide in August 2019 while awaiting trial on criminal charges at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York. The US Justice Department's Inspector General said that his suicide was the end result of 'combination of negligence, misconduct and outright job performance failures' by the US Federal Bureau of Prisons and jail workers. The watchdog report found no evidence of foul play. Maxwell was sentenced in 2022 to 20 years in prison for sex trafficking related to her role in Epstein's abuse and exploitation scheme. She lost her appeal in September 2024. While the US president has faced multiple sexual assault accusations in the past, he has rejected all allegations as part of media bias or political smear campaigns. In December 2024, a judgment was upheld against Trump for defamation and sexual abuse of writer E Jean Carroll in 1995 or 1996. The sentencing carried a penalty of $5 million (€4.4m). Dozens of human rights activists took to the streets of the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Thursday to protest against the murder of 17-year-old TikTok influencer, Sana Yousuf. The protest comes after the man accused of killing the teenager made his first court appearance on Wednesday, officials and police said. "Why are there so few people present here at this protest rally today? Why is the whole of Pakistan not standing up and speaking out in protest? This is something which impacts and affects everyone," activist Tahira Abdullah said. The suspect, 22-year-old Umar Hayat who also creates content on TikTok, was arrested on Tuesday by police in Faisalabad, an industrial city in eastern Punjab province. He is accused of shooting Yousuf, who had more than 1 million followers on social media. Authorities believe he broke into her home after she rejected his offer of friendship. The killing earlier this week in Islamabad drew widespread condemnation. TV footage showed Hayat with his face covered as he was brought to court, where police requested additional time to complete their investigation and file formal murder charges. The judge ordered that Hayat be presented again on June 18 for pretrial proceedings. Yousuf, originally from the scenic northern region of Chitral, was known for promoting traditional Chitrali music and dress through her videos. She also advocated for girls' education. Hours before her murder, she had posted a photo celebrating her birthday with friends. TikTok has more than 60 million users in Pakistan, many of them young women and teenagers.
France 24
4 hours ago
- France 24
Europe's troubled waters: Does EU Ocean Pact meet the challenge?
Europe 12:04 Issued on: From the show Europe is trying to put itself at the forefront of the global ocean agenda, releasing its Ocean Pact ahead of a United Nations Oceans Conference in the French coastal city of Nice. More than 90 percent of EU marine waters are overexploited by industrial fishing, seabed mining and growing offshore infrastructure, according to Seas At Risk, an association of environmental organisations from across Europe. And yet, healthy oceans are the precondition for breathing healthy air, ensuring sustainable food supplies and securing energy independence – as more of our electricity is set to come from the sea. With oceans being so interconnected with so much else in our lives, it's not surprising that MEPs are saying the EU should give its ocean policy higher priority, and lead by example at UNOC in Nice. We discuss what's at stake with two MEPs.
