The legislative elections in Poland: What future for the country and its relations with the EU?
Poland’s parliamentary elections are attracting keen interest as 29 million voters go to the polls to choose their representatives. The populist Law and Justice (PiS) party, currently in power, is leading the polls, but the formation of a government coalition promises to be complicated. These elections are of great importance for the future of Poland’s relations with the European Union (EU) and its neighbor Ukraine.
According to polls, PiS would obtain the greatest number of votes, but it could encounter difficulties in forming a government coalition. This would pave the way for the opposition led by Donald Tusk, former head of the European Council. The final results will not be known until Monday, but the outcome of these elections could have a significant impact on several key issues, such as respect for the rule of law, press freedom, women’s and migrants’ rights .
PiS supports its controversial judicial reforms, which it presents as measures aimed at fighting corruption. However, the EU views these reforms as a threat to democracy. The party could consider a coalition with the Confederation, a far-right anti-migrant and anti-European party. However, such an alliance seems unlikely due to existing tensions between the two political parties.
For their part, the centrists hope that their formation, the Civic Coalition, will be able to form a government with two small allied parties, the Left and the Third Way. These elections concern the two houses of parliament, the Diet and the Senate. PiS also held a referendum on issues related to migrants and the economy, which the opposition called for a boycott.
These elections do not leave our Western partners indifferent, notably kyiv, whose relations with Poland could be affected depending on the outcome of the elections. Poland has been a strong supporter of Ukraine and has hosted a large number of Ukrainian refugees on its territory. However, tensions have arisen recently due to a Polish government decision banning the import of Ukrainian grain to protect local farmers. This situation reflects the complexity of the issues linked to cooperation between the two countries.
The parliamentary elections in Poland are not just limited to a political choice for Polish voters. They have direct repercussions on the international scene and Poland’s relations with the EU and Ukraine. The next few days will be crucial for the future of the country and for how it will position itself on the European scene.