Despite the efforts of various political parties in the European Parliament, the elections to the EP are first and foremost national elections, and as Enrico Letta remarked, they will be “a sum of national, domestic debates in a frame named European elections.” As such the EU member states also differ in the campaigns and the narratives mostly used before the June votes.
On April 7, 2024 millions of Polish citizens went to the voting commissions to cast their ballots in this year’s local elections. Following the recent triumph of the “democratic coalition” over Law and Justice and a subsequent change of government in December, many got their hopes up for a landslide victory in early spring.
After the rising number of immigrants in 2015, the implementation of the Common European Asylum System became a priority for EU member states. Nevertheless, it has been documented by many studies that the V4 group countries drifted away from these intentions. During 2016, the members of the Visegrad group worked together as a united bloc on migration issues in Brussels.
Poland has proudly joined the EU 20 years ago. However, the European Parliament still lacks credible representation in the eyes of many voters, in particular the country’s youth. As the EP elections approach, one must question the true purpose of these elections in Poland. Are these elections genuine democratic exercises or merely opportunities for aging politicians to secure pensions and receive a last token of appreciation from their parties?
Europe woke up in a different reality on February 24, 2022. Shocked, angered, frightened, stressed, outraged – we can probably find many words to describe the primal and visceral feelings of people. But there was one very clear-cut line: whether or not one supported Ukraine which fell victim to the barbaric and criminal Russian invasion. This was a turning point for many things, including shifting identities for many Latvian Russian-speakers.
Poland pledged to adopt the Euro when it joined the European Union in 2004. The adoption of the common currency will have a significant impact on the country’s future and will define our position in Europe. It should be noted that entry into the Eurozone is not only an economic issue but also a major political and social change.
Women in Poland are now more than ever at the heart of public attention. The closer we get to the election date, the more political declarations affecting women’s lives we hear. With numerous research studies proving that women’s participation in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Poland will be politically decisive, the number of offers from party leaders is rising on a daily basis.
As Poland’s parliamentary election approaches, a concerning trend has emerged. The far-right party, Konfederacja, with its current polling at 8-12%, is aggressively targeting the young electorate. While they champion economic liberal ideas like ‘economic freedom’ and ‘simple, low taxes,’ they conveniently sidestep the importance of ideological freedom.
There is a well-known saying, popular both in Poland and Hungary, that goes ‘Pole and Hungarian brothers be, good for fight and good for party’. It is humorous, but it is also a symbol of the unique relationship between the two nations, which is a rarity compared to other countries or nations. The saying refers to mutual friendship, similarities and good relations.
Joanna Łopat talks with Daria, 40 year-old Jewish women from Warsaw.
