Global Courant
Hundreds of thousands of protesters gathered in Poland on the 34th anniversary of the eastern European country’s first post-war democratic elections – a march the liberal opposition had heralded as a test of its ability to end nearly eight years of nationalism later this year reign.
The huge anti-government march in the capital Warsaw on Sunday was attended by citizens who came from all over the country to express their anger against the right-wing government.
Huge crowds gathered in Krakow and other cities in the country of 38 million, frustrated with a government critics accuse of violating the constitution and erode fundamental rights in the country long hailed as a model of peaceful and democratic change .
Crowds stretching for at least two kilometers marched with banners reading “Free, European Poland” and “European Union yes, PiS no”, referring to the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party.
People gather in the Old Town of Warsaw, Poland (Slawomir Kaminski/Agencja Wyborcza.pl via Reuters)
Some wore masks of the ruling party’s leader, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, on which the word “shame” was written. Organizers said a million people marched, but police and city officials gave no estimate.
“I have participated in many marches, but I have never seen a protest of this size with so much energy. I feel this is a breakthrough as (the) June 4, 1989 (democratic elections) was,” said Jacek Gwozdz, 51, an IT specialist from Nowy Sacz, in Warsaw.
Opinion polls show that post-summer elections will be hard-fought, with Russia’s war in neighboring Ukraine boosting the Law and Justice government, which has emerged as a leading voice against the Kremlin in Europe.
The opposition has struggled to gain support despite widespread criticism at home and abroad of the PiS, which has been accused of undermining the rule of law, turning the state media into a government mouthpiece and endorsing homophobia.
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki’s government denies undermining democratic norms, saying its aim is to protect traditional Christian values from liberal pressure from the West and make the economy fairer.
‘Silence is over’
Donald Tusk, head of the Civic Platform party and former president of the Council of the European Union, welcomed his supporters by saying that the voice of Poles could not be silenced.
“Democracy dies in silence, but you have raised your voice for democracy today. Silence is over, we will shout,” he said in a speech at the end of the march.
“There are half a million people on the streets of Warsaw, it’s an absolute record,” he told the crowd in the capital’s Castle Square.
Tusk called for unity despite political differences in the opposition and promised victory in elections to be held in October or November.
“Today I swear to win, to hold those in power to account, to right wrongs so that people can finally be reconciled,” he said.
Donald Tusk, leader of the main opposition Civic Platform party, promised victory in this year’s election (Kacper Pempel/Reuters)
In June 1989, a partially free vote gave victory to a government led by the Solidarity trade union, leading to a series of events culminating in the fall of the Berlin Wall in November.
Hundreds of buses arrived in Warsaw on Sunday to transport opposition supporters from across the country. Some said they were motivated by a row over legislation proposed by PiS to remove undue Russian influence from the country.
The opposition sees the legislation as an attempt by the government to launch a witch hunt against political opponents.
In an unexpected turn of events, President Andrzej Duda, a PiS ally, said on Friday he would propose legislative changes, which have also drawn criticism from lawyers, as well as the United States and the European Commission.
The EU executive said the legislation could effectively ban individuals from holding public office without proper judicial review.
“It’s incomprehensible,” said Andrzej Majewski, 48, from Slupca in western Poland, who was in Warsaw to take part in Sunday’s march.
