Poland

On Friday, May 26, in the Sejm there was the passing and the signing of a bill to establish a commission on Russian influence by Andrzej Duda. This development marks a concerning step towards the establishment of an undemocratic state in Poland, where the principles of the rule of law are disregarded. The Commission, lacking any appeal standards, provides a platform for politicians from one party to potentially eliminate their opposition counterparts from the political arena.

In this episode, we talk about the biggest street protest in the history of Poland, what factors shape the parliamentary campaign in Poland, and what will be the outcome of the forthcoming elections.

Under the pretext of investigating the Russia\'s influence in Poland, the newly formed polish parliamentary commission has been granted the authority to silence the opposition and impose a ban on individuals holding public positions for up to 10 years. In the light of the upcoming fall parliamentary elections, this tool strikes at those seeking to run in the elections or get appointed.

Entrepreneurs, do not be passive. There are many ways to get involved today on the right side. Think about the future of Poland, where you would like to further develop your business projects, invest, and create jobs, and what kind of Poland you, your children or grandchildren will live well in. More than 2 million people run a business in Poland. Entrepreneurs are a large social group – there are four times more of us than teachers and almost thirty times more than miners.

In 2015, the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party won the elections, promising a significant new social support program. In March 2016, with a majority in the parliament, PiS introduced the \"Family 500+\" program, which provided an additional payment of PLN 500 per child per month. Initially, the program was for a second and subsequent child in a family, but later it was extended to include the first child as well.

On May 14, during the Law and Justice (PiS) convention the election promises were made. Will these promises lead to prolongation of the PiS rule in Poland? There are the specific program announcements presented by Jarosław Kaczyński, and the most important is: 800+ in place of 500+ from 2024.

Throughout recent days, public discourse in Poland has been dominated by multiple instances of violations of the Polish airspace. Balloons crossing the Polish-Belarussian border, drones disturbing passenger planes approaching their airports and a Russian missile, discovered in a forest 250 kilometers from the nearest frontier are just few examples of what appeared in the latest news.

The migration crisis in 2015 posed a significant challenge for Europe. It has also become a contributor to legitimizing political action in Hungary, as well as in Poland after the parliamentary elections held in the autumn of 2015.

Freedom of movement is a very essence of liberal principles. Classical liberals argue that every individual has the right to live wherever they want. And wherever the individual decides to settle, they should enjoy the same freedom rights as residents and be treated equally by the law.

In this episode, we talk about controversies sparked by President Emmanuel Macron with his comments on China, Taiwan, and the United States, about French position on China and transatlantic relations, and about the future of strategic autonomy and different perspectives within the EU.