Hundreds of thousands of Poles gathered in the streets of Warsaw in a rally organized by the Civic Platform (PO) party in opposition to the nationalist government. This gathering comes two weeks before the legislative elections, which could play a decisive role in Poland’s future within the European Union and in its democratic status.
According to opinion polls, the ruling nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party leads in electoral preferences, but it may struggle to form a majority. Indeed, the Polish population is increasingly dissatisfied with the rising cost of living and attacks on democracy.
The Warsaw rally was described as the largest ever organized in the capital by the city hall, with around a million participants. However, the TVP channel, considered pro-government, announced a much lower figure of 100,000 demonstrators according to the police. For its part, the online news channel onet.pl estimates that the number of participants is between 600,000 and 800,000.
The opposition hopes that this massive rally will encourage voters to participate in the legislative elections. Donald Tusk, leader of the Civic Platform party, told the rally that “big changes are on the horizon” and that this marks “the rebirth of Poland.” He also accused the ruling PiS party of wanting to force Poland out of the European Union, which the latter denies.
PiS is criticized for its attacks on human rights, particularly those of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as its reforms to the justice system which are seen as a threat to the independence of the judiciary. Additionally, Poland is still waiting to receive billions of euros in European Union recovery funds linked to the Covid-19 pandemic, but their release is delayed due to Polish judicial reforms.
In conclusion, this massive opposition rally in Warsaw demonstrates the growing discontent of the Polish population towards the nationalist government. The upcoming legislative elections promise to be crucial for Poland’s future within the European Union and for respect for democracy in the country.