Young Poles mobilize for political change
The recent parliamentary elections in Poland were marked by a historic turnout of young voters, who expressed their desire for change by rejecting the conservative and nationalist ruling party, PiS. This mobilization movement of Polish youth shows a growing desire to promote democracy and oppose populist and nationalist tendencies.
Ania, a young 26-year-old Polish woman living in Paris, is delighted with the victory of the Civic Coalition, led by Donald Tusk, in the legislative elections. For her, it is “an opportunity for [her] country”. She left Poland in 2015, when the conservative party came to power, because she felt religion was taking up more and more space and her choices were limited. Ania therefore considers this defeat of the PiS as a relief.
Young Poles played a key role in this rejection of PiS during the elections. The participation rate of young voters reached an unprecedented level, with 68.8% according to Ipsos. This shows their disagreement with the populist, nationalist and Eurosceptic ideas and measures of the ruling party.
Radek, a student at the Warsaw University of Music, confirms this disagreement among young people with PiS. According to him, “many young people do not agree with what PiS represents”. They aspire to more democracy and reject restrictive and conservative policies.
This mobilization of Polish youth shows that the hopes and expectations of this new generation go beyond nationalist and populist ideologies. They want a country that is more open, more democratic and more respectful of individual rights.
The legislative elections in Poland therefore marked a significant turning point in the country’s politics, highlighting the desire of young people to commit to positive change. This mobilization in favor of democracy is an encouraging sign for the future of Poland and Europe.