The “Marsz Miliona Serc” rally in Warsaw: a historic mobilization to defend democracy in Poland
On Sunday, October 1, 2023, hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Warsaw, capital of Poland, to participate in the “Marsz Miliona Serc” (March of a Million Hearts) rally organized by the Civic Platform (PO) party. ). This historic mobilization comes two weeks before the legislative elections which could have a significant impact on the future of the country within the European Union and on its democratic status.
According to Warsaw City Hall, nearly a million people took part in this gathering, making it the largest ever held in the Polish capital. However, public broadcaster TVP, considered by many observers to be pro-government, claimed that only 100,000 demonstrators were present, based on police figures. For its part, the online news channel onet.pl estimates that the number of participants is between 600,000 and 800,000 people.
This massive gathering reflects the growing discontent of the population with the nationalist government in place, represented by the Law and Justice party (PiS). Opinion polls indicate that PiS could win the election, but may struggle to form a majority. The protesters’ main concerns are the rising cost of living and perceived attacks on democracy under the current government.
At the head of the opposition are Donald Tusk, former president of the European Council and leader of the Civic Platform party, as well as Rafal Trzaskowski, mayor of Warsaw. Both took the lead in the march, proudly displaying the Polish national flag. They delivered impassioned speeches to the crowd, calling on voters to mobilize in the upcoming legislative elections. Donald Tusk stressed that the vote was crucial for the rights of minorities and women, and warned of PiS’s possible intentions to force Poland out of the European Union, an accusation the party rejects.
Since coming to power in 2015, PiS has been criticized for its attacks on fundamental rights and its reforms to the justice system, seen as an attempt to restrict democracy in Poland. The party has also been hostile towards the LGBTQ+ community, which has sparked strong protests both nationally and internationally. Separately, Poland faces delays in accessing recovery funds linked to the Covid-19 pandemic, due to European Union concerns over the independence of the Polish judicial system.
The “Marsz Miliona Serc” rally in Warsaw is therefore a powerful manifestation of the opposition and the desire of many Poles to defend the country’s democratic values. It remains to be seen what impact this will have on the upcoming parliamentary elections, but one thing is certain: mobilization of this scale demonstrates the importance of democracy to the Polish people and their determination to protect their rights and freedoms.