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In Warsaw, hundreds of thousands of people protested against the right-wing nationalist government on Sunday. According to observers, it was one of the largest demonstrations seen in Poland so far. According to the Warsaw city administration, around half a million people took part in the march against the ruling PiS party.
At the end of May, Polish President Andrzej Duda approved a controversial commission of inquiry in the country. The commission, whose nine members are to be appointed by parliament, can judge whether people have succumbed to "Russian influence" – without the judiciary being involved in the investigations. Critics see the Commission as a massive attack on the rule of law – and the beginning of a witch hunt against political opponents.
Marek Falda, demonstrator:
"This commission, which wants to investigate Russian influence, is reprehensible. Because it can simply deprive someone of the right to public office without a court order. This is absurd. That motivated me a lot to come here. It reminds me of the Russian law on foreign agents. So if there's anything Russian interference, it's this new law."
Andrzej Nowak, demonstrator:
"I just had to come here. My generation has already experienced something similar. For example, that gifted people were not allowed to take their exams if they were not in the Polish Communist Party or knew someone there. I don't want my grandchildren to grow up at a time like this, that's why I'm here."
Maria Baksilowska, demonstrator:
»The special thing about this march is the incredible hope you feel, the hope for change.«
The demonstration was called by several opposition parties, including former President Lech Wałęsa and opposition politician and former EU Council President Donald Tusk. According to the opposition, the new law is aimed in particular at discrediting Tusk. He is considered the fiercest political opponent of PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski:
Donald Tusk, Civic Platform PO
"The attacks of the ruling PiS party on the pillars of democracy will not be tacitly accepted."
A new parliament will be elected in Poland in the autumn. Polls suggest that the PiS party will win the election, but will fall short of the absolute majority with which it now governs.
For years, the PiS government has been at odds with the EU, among other things, over accusations of undermining the independence of the judiciary in Poland. On Monday, the European Court of Justice will issue another ruling on a lawsuit brought by the EU Commission in 2021. According to the report, several Polish regulations violated EU law.