Salamander 🇬🇧 🦎

What’s happening in Poland? In a nutshell there are two political blocks: Law and Justice (PiS), led by Jarosław Kaczyński (nationalist, socially conservative, and skeptical of certain EU policies) who were in power from 2015 to 2023, and Donald Tusk’s Civic Coalition (and its partners), pro-Eu and have been in government since late 2023. PiS reformed the Constitutional Tribunal (court) which argues Polish law has precedence over some EU law. Tusk thinks all Polish law should be subordinate to EU law. Despite the Polish Constitution stating the Tribunal’s position is final, Tusk has been ignoring it. A Tusk appointed Judge on the Tribunal has - seemingly with Tusk’s support - suspended the President of the Tribunal and another PiS appointed judge, causing the present crisis. What is in fact behind this is that Donald Tusk is trying to make the upcoming 2027 elections all about the EU. He is ideologically committed to ensuring the EU dominates Poland while the PiS does not want to leave the EU, but want to retain some Polish autonomy. Tusk is trying to create a minor crisis and present it as the right’s fault and position himself as the guardian of Polish membership of the EU. It’s up to the Poles, but should they really trust a man who creates a crisis to help him make sure Poland becomes fully submissive to Brussels? I think not.