WARSAW, Poland — Thousands of people attended an anti-government rally organized by Poland’s nationalist conservative opposition party to boost support before next year’s presidential election.
Law and Justice leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski called on supporters to be active at social and political levels and to back the party’s candidate in next year’s presidential election. He hasn’t yet named the candidate.
Kaczynski also accused the pro-European Union government of acting against the nation’s interests and violating its laws and cited recently opened investigations into allegations of mismanagement and corruption of the Law and Justice government.
Up to 4,000 people with national white-and-red flags gathered for the rally held in windy weather outside the Justice Ministry in Warsaw, which has become a symbol of years of deep rifts between the backers of Kaczynski and Donald Tusk, now the prime minister and leader of the center-right Civic Platform party.
Law and Justice, which governed Poland for nearly a decade from 2015 until 2023, drew criticism from Brussels and Tusk alike for making changes to Poland’s judicial system that were deemed undemocratic.
Many in the nation of 38 million people were also tired of the aggressive and divisive language that Kaczynski, who dictated the government’s policies from the sidelines, used to energize support.
The party lost power in the 2023 election, but is still exerting control through President Andrzej Duda, who is allied with Law and Justice. Duda, whose second and last term runs out in August, has been blocking many of the government’s draft laws.
Poland’s main opposition party, the Civic Platform, recently organized a massive anti-government rally that drew thousands of attendees in Warsaw. The rally was held in response to what the opposition party sees as a growing threat to democracy and the rule of law in the country.
The Civic Platform has been a vocal critic of the ruling Law and Justice party, led by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. The opposition party has accused the government of undermining the independence of the judiciary, restricting freedom of the press, and eroding democratic norms.
The rally, which took place in front of the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, attracted a diverse crowd of protesters, including students, activists, and politicians. Many attendees carried signs and chanted slogans calling for the government to respect the rule of law and uphold democratic values.
Speaking at the rally, Civic Platform leader Grzegorz Schetyna denounced the government’s actions and called for unity among opposition parties to challenge the ruling party in upcoming elections. He urged attendees to stand up for their rights and fight for a more just and democratic Poland.
The rally comes at a time of increasing political tension in Poland, with the government facing criticism from both domestic and international observers. The European Union has raised concerns about the state of democracy in Poland and has threatened to take action if the government does not address these issues.
Despite the challenges facing the opposition, the massive turnout at the rally demonstrates that there is a strong appetite for change among many Poles. The Civic Platform and other opposition parties are hoping to capitalize on this momentum and build a broad coalition to challenge the ruling party in the next election.
Overall, the anti-government rally organized by Poland’s main opposition party sends a powerful message to the government that many Poles are unhappy with the direction the country is heading. It remains to be seen whether this will translate into concrete political change, but one thing is clear: the fight for democracy in Poland is far from over.
