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New Statesman
3 hours ago
- Politics
- New Statesman
What the world gets wrong about Poland's election
As the country heads to the polls for the second round of voting today (1 June), Poland is torn by two very different presidential candidates – the pro-European liberal Rafał Trzaskowski and the right-wing nationalist Karol Nawrocki. It's impossible to predict who might win. It is also increasingly difficult to ignore the growing disillusionment that Poles feel toward politics. Trzaskowski, who belongs to the Civic Coalition party and narrowly won the most votes in the first round of voting on 18 May, has been a firm supporter of the European Union and the strengthening of foreign ties. Though this position delights Poland's neighbours and the West, the sentiment is not shared by a large proportion of the electorate who have been sceptical of pro-EU candidates in the past (including current prime minister Donald Tusk). Such candidates tend to be branded pro-German and mocked at rallies as elitist or anti-Polish. The liberal mayor of Warsaw, Trzaskowski's support comes from the metropolitan-based, younger, professional classes. Yet his critics accuse him of selling out the country's sovereignty and undermining the Polish traditions and values that are closely linked to the Catholic church. In contrast to Trzaskowski, the nationalist historian Nawrocki has no political experience, despite being backed by the right-wing Law and Justice Party, which lost power under Donald Tusk's coalition. He's expressed admiration for Donald Trump's Maga agenda and currently heads the Institute of National Remembrance which embraces nationalist historical narratives — they reject Poland's involvement in the Holocaust under Nazi occupation, for example — and opposes publication of 'false information' that 'dishonours or harms the Polish nation'. His anti-Russian views combined with his pledge to block Ukraine's accession to Nato appeals to Trzaskowski's critics and could capture the votes that were cast for far-right politician Sławomir Mentzen in the first round of voting. Yet a shared beer between Mentzen and Trzaskowski, organised as part of Mentzen's YouTube coverage of the election, is thought to have shifted the support of the far-right politician's voters towards the mayor of Warsaw. Nawrocki hasn't expressed a strong position on many of the country's most pressing issues, like the predicted 289-billion-złoty (£57 billion) deficit for 2025 or immigration. Many of his opinions on topics like education and abortion mirror those of the Law and Justice party. Despite Trzaskowski narrowly winning the first round, it's impossible to say who will win the second vote. The final presidential debate, hosted by right-leaning Republika TV, took place on 28 May in the town of Końskie, though Trzaskowski made the bold move not to appear. (Trzaskowski lost in the 2020 election to Andrzej Duda after not turning up to the debate in Końskie; soon after the debate, Trzaskowski plummeted in the polls.) With both candidates neck-in-neck in the polls, the Polish media can't decide whether Trzaskowski has once again lost his shot at presidency, or whether he will break through the 'curse of Końskie'. In many ways, the real momentum in this election campaign has come from abroad. A record number of 695,000 expats are registered to vote on 1 June, perhaps motivated by the fact that in Poland, presidents have a formal role in foreign and defence policies. A Trzaskowski win could establish Poland as a key player on the European stage and, as a Tusk ally, he could also aid the prime minister's progressive reform. A Nawrocki win, meanwhile, could lead to the disengagement with the European Union on all matters excluding trade and potentially block Ukraine's ascension into Nato. His stance on Poland reaching Net Zero by 2050 will also have an impact on the EU's climate change policies. Yet this international excitement barely ripples over the Polish public. The truth is, neither candidate is likely to have a ground-shaking impact on the lives of the electorate. A Trzaskowski win would likely bring with it an initial burst of hope, which is almost certain to grow into disillusionment over his often-contradictory positions on the LGBTQ rights, immigration and healthcare. A Nawrocki win, on the other hand, would likely isolate younger, progressive voters by prioritising the country's frustrated right-wing. Nawrocki's victory could cause a further spike in emigration among young people — already a long-running problem in Poland — as the historian looks to hinder Donald Tusk's progressive agenda. Neither candidate presents solutions to the most pressing issues that divide the country, such as the influx of migrants crossing the Poland-Belarus border, the continuing war in Ukraine and inflation. It's no surprise that turn out is now predicted to be just over 50 per cent in the second round. Rather than uniting, the political promises of this election campaign have only disillusioned the country more. [See also: Sanction Netanyahu's cabinet ultras now] Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe Related
Arab Times
4 hours ago
- Business
- Arab Times
Bulgarian nationalists protest government plans to adopt euro currency
SOFIA, Bulgaria, June 1, (AP): Thousands of flag-waving Bulgarians took to the streets of the capital, Sofia, and other major cities on Saturday to protest government plans to adopt the euro and to demand a referendum on the new currency. The protesters, led by civic groups and nationalist parties, sang patriotic songs and shouted slogans like "Freedom for the Bulgarian lev' and "The future belongs to sovereign states.' The anti-euro rally came four days before the Balkan country is expected to receive green light from Brussels to enter the eurozone. The demonstrators in Sofia carried flags of the pro-Russian Vazrazhdane party and a huge banner that read "The battle for the Bulgarian lev is the last battle for Bulgaria.' An increased police presence kept the protest peaceful. Bulgaria joined the European Union in 2007 and remains of its poorest members, plagued by years of instability that has fueled euroscepticism among its 6.4 million citizens. Disinformation campaigns from home and abroad have added fears of economic changes that could bring more poverty. President Rumen Radev encouraged the anti-euro voices by proposing earlier this month a referendum on the currency, citing public concerns over inflation and purchasing power. The proposal was turned down by the pro-European majority in parliament, which accused Radev of acting in favor of Moscow with his last-minute attempt to sabotage the euro adoption, aimed at deepening European integration amid growing geopolitical tensions.
Iraqi News
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Iraqi News
Poland goes to the polls in second round of close-fought presidential election
INA-source Polls have opened in Poland for the second round of the presidential election, with the two candidates offering radically different visions for the country locked in a dead heat. The race pits the pro-European Warsaw mayor, Rafał Trzaskowski, backed by Donald Tusk's politically-diverse governing coalition, against the historian and former amateur boxer Karol Nawrocki, endorsed by the populist-right Law and Justice (PiS) party that governed the country between 2015 and 2023. While the role of the Polish president is largely ceremonial, it carries some influence over foreign and defence policy and a critical power to veto new legislation. This can only be overturned with a majority of three-fifths in parliament, which the current government does not have. At stake is whether Tusk's government will be able to make progress on its electoral promises on the rule of law and social issues, including abortion and LGBTQ rights, after 18 months of difficult cohabitation with the opposition president, Andrzej Duda. Source- theguardian
Yomiuri Shimbun
11 hours ago
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Bulgarian Nationalists Protest Government Plans to Adopt the Euro Currency
The Associated Press A protester hold Russian flag as thousands Bulgarians took on the streets of the capital, Sofia, and other major cities on Saturday to protest government plans to adopt the euro and to demand a referendum on the issue. Sofia, Saturday, May 31, 2025. SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Thousands of flag-waving Bulgarians took to the streets of the capital, Sofia, and other major cities on Saturday to protest government plans to adopt the euro and to demand a referendum on the new currency. The protesters, led by civic groups and nationalist parties, sang patriotic songs and shouted slogans like 'Freedom for the Bulgarian lev' and 'The future belongs to sovereign states.' The anti-euro rally came four days before the Balkan country is expected to receive green light from Brussels to enter the eurozone. The demonstrators in Sofia carried flags of the pro-Russian Vazrazhdane party and a huge banner that read 'The battle for the Bulgarian lev is the last battle for Bulgaria.' An increased police presence kept the protest peaceful. Bulgaria joined the European Union in 2007 and remains of its poorest members, plagued by years of instability that has fueled euroscepticism among its 6.4 million citizens. Disinformation campaigns from home and abroad have added fears of economic changes that could bring more poverty. President Rumen Radev encouraged the anti-euro voices by proposing earlier this month a referendum on the currency, citing public concerns over inflation and purchasing power. The proposal was turned down by the pro-European majority in parliament, which accused Radev of acting in favor of Moscow with his last-minute attempt to sabotage the euro adoption, aimed at deepening European integration amid growing geopolitical tensions.
Leader Live
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Leader Live
Bulgarian nationalists protest over government plans to adopt euro currency
The protesters, led by civic groups and nationalist parties, sang patriotic songs and shouted slogans like 'Freedom for the Bulgarian lev' and 'The future belongs to sovereign states'. The anti-euro rally came four days before the Balkan country is expected to receive the green light from Brussels to enter the eurozone. Demonstrators in Sofia carried flags of the pro-Russian Vazrazhdane party and a huge banner that read 'The battle for the Bulgarian lev is the last battle for Bulgaria'. An increased police presence kept the protest peaceful. Bulgaria joined the European Union in 2007 and remains one of its poorest members, plagued by years of instability which has fuelled Euroscepticism among its 6.4 million citizens. Disinformation campaigns from home and abroad have added fears of economic changes that could bring more poverty. President Rumen Radev encouraged the anti-euro voices by proposing earlier this month a referendum on the currency, citing public concerns over inflation and purchasing power. The proposal was turned down by the pro-European majority in parliament, which accused him of acting in favour of Moscow with his last-minute attempt to sabotage the euro adoption, which is aimed at deepening European integration amid growing geopolitical tensions.
