DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Poland Starts Probe Into Allegations of Illegal Phone-Hacking
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

"Our work in the investigative commission will cause not only an earthquake, but also a tsunami." PiS say the changes are a political witchhunt and that it always acted legally. I'm sure that every surveillance conducted by secret services was accepted and ordered by court," former Deputy Justice Minister Sebastian Kaleta said. However, Polish media have recently reported that the spyware may have also been used against PiS politicians, news that if proved true could strain lawmakers loyalties. "It seems to me that this may be, unfortunately, a trial by fire that (PiS) won't necessarily pass," said Anna Materska-Sosnowska, a political scientist at Warsaw University.

Persons: Witold Zembaczynski, Jacek Karnowski, Sebastian Kaleta, Anna Materska, Jaroslaw, Kaczynski, Alan Charlish, Pawel Florkiewicz, Anna Wlodarczak, William Maclean Organizations: Monday, Pegasus, Civic Coalition, Associated Press, Warsaw University Locations: WARSAW, Israel

☆ Polish President Says He Doesn't Know if Ukraine Can Retake Crimea
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland's president said he was unsure if Ukraine would be able to regain control over Russian-occupied Crimea but believed it could retake Donetsk and Luhansk, in comments that drew criticism from politicians from the ruling coalition. However, when asked if he believed Ukraine would really be able to retake Crimea, he said, "It is hard for me to answer that question. "I don't know if (Ukraine) will regain Crimea, but I believe it will regain Donetsk and Luhansk," he said. Ukraine has vowed to recover every inch of its territory including Crimea in the war with Russia. "He answered directly to the question about Ukraine regaining Crimea by saying that he didn't know," Fogiel wrote on X.

Persons: Kyiv's staunchest, Andrzej Duda, Duda's, Mr Duda, Radoslaw Fogiel, Fogiel, Alan Charlish, Mark Heinrich Organizations: YouTube, European, Law and Justice, Civic Coalition Locations: WARSAW, Ukraine, Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Warsaw, Russia, Moscow, Poland

☆ Polish Lawmaker Who Extinguished Hanukkah Candles Loses Immunity
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland's parliament has voted to remove the immunity from prosecution of a lawmaker who used a fire extinguisher to put out Jewish Hanukkah candles in the country's parliament in December, an incident that caused international outrage. The vote opens the way for prosecutors to press charges against Grzegorz Braun from the far-right Confederation party for seven acts committed during 2022 and 2023, including the incident involving the candles. The largest opposition party, the nationalist law and Justice (PiS), also voted in favour of removing Braun's immunity. After extinguishing the candles in the parliament on Dec. 12, Braun took to the podium where he described Hanukkah as "satanic" and said he was restoring "normality". Asked later if he was ashamed of his action, he said: "Those who take part in acts of satanic worship should be ashamed."

Persons: Grzegorz Braun, Agnieszka Pomaska, Mariusz Dubowski, Braun, Alan Charlish, Gareth Jones Organizations: Civic Coalition, Warsaw, European Union Locations: WARSAW, Ukraine

☆ Why are Polish truckers blocking Ukraine border crossings?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] Polish truckers burn wood to keep warm as they block crossings at Ukrainian border near the village of Hrebenne, Poland November 19, 2023. REUTERS/Yan Dobronosov Acquire Licensing RightsNov 30 (Reuters) - Polish truckers have been protesting near several border crossings with Ukraine over what they see as unfair competition from their Ukrainian peers, as well as hurdles for European Union truckers operating in Ukraine. Polish truckers started their protest on Nov. 6, demanding that the EU reintroduce a permit system for Ukrainian truckers entering the bloc and for EU truckers entering Ukraine. On Nov. 27, the truckers were joined by farmers who started a round-the-clock blockade of access to one of the busiest border crossings with Ukraine, Medyka. EU INVOLVEMENTEuropean transport commissioner Adina Valean said on Nov. 29 that Ukraine and the EU cannot be "taken hostage" by the Polish truckers blockading the border.

Persons: Yan Dobronosov, Taras Kachka, Adina Valean, Mateusz Morawiecki, Donald Tusk, Anna Wlodarczak, Karol Badohal, Timothy Organizations: REUTERS, European Union, EU, Kyiv, Medyka, Ukrainian, Warsaw, European Commission, European Business Association, Reuters, Law and Justice, EU Civic Coalition, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Hrebenne, Poland, Ukraine, Brussels

☆ Polish president to swear in government; opposition condemns 'farce'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki speaks during the first session of the newly elected Polish parliament in Warsaw, Poland November 13, 2023. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWARSAW, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Poland's president will on Monday swear in members of a government that will likely only last until December, in what opposition parties say is a "farce" intended to delay them from taking power after they won a majority in an October election. "The point is that there should not be too many politicians in this government," he told state-run news agency PAP. The prime minister has vowed to implement the policy proposals of opposition parties in a bid to persuade them to work with him. Opposition parties accuse the government of stalling tactics designed to cover up evidence of wrongdoing during their time in power.

Persons: Mateusz Morawiecki, Kacper, Andrzej Duda, Mariusz Blaszczak, Jacek Sasin, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, PiS, Marcin Kierwinski, Alan Charlish, Pawel, Ed Osmond Organizations: Polish, REUTERS, Rights, and Justice, Pro, European Union, Union, liberal Civic Coalition, Radio Zet, Thomson Locations: Warsaw, Poland

☆ Exclusive: Poland, seeking to tap EU funds, to move fast to join EU prosecutor's office
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Alan Charlish | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The EPPO is an independent public prosecution office of the European Union which deals with cases affecting the bloc's financial interests. Asked to comment on reports that he will become justice minister, Bodnar said, "There are such discussions, but nothing is certain. "For the European Public Prosecutor's Office, joining only requires a letter from the prime minister," he said. He said that he hoped EPPO prosecutors would come to Poland and investigate instances of alleged misuse of EU funds in public institutions such as the National Centre of Research and Development (NCBR). "Most investigations should be done by Polish prosecutors," Bodnar said.

Persons: Adam Bodnar, Kacper, Bodnar, Donald Tusk, Andrzej Duda, PiS, Zbigniew Ziobro, Alan Charlish, Nick Macfie Organizations: Human Rights, Reuters, REUTERS, Rights, Public Prosecutor's, European Union, and Justice, liberal Civic Coalition, Human, Public, Office, National Centre of Research, Development, Thomson Locations: Warsaw, Poland, Brussels, Polish

[1/7] Polish President Andrzej Duda arrives for the first session of the newly elected Polish parliament in Warsaw, Poland November 13, 2023. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel Acquire Licensing RightsWARSAW, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Poland's parliament meets for the first time on Monday since an election in which an alliance of pro-European Union parties won a majority, heralding a new start for Polish politics. He would serve until 2025 when, under a coalition agreement, the role would pass to Wlodzimierz Czarzasty of the New Left. Monday's parliamentary session could also provide a glimpse of the challenges the coalition may face maintaining unity. The opposition said in its coalition agreement that it would invalidate the ruling.

Persons: Andrzej Duda, Kacper, Mateusz Morawiecki, Donald Tusk, Tusk, Szymon Holownia, Wlodzimierz, PiS, Piotr Muller, Krzysztof Smiszek, Alan Charlish, Pawel, Timothy Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, European Union, Justice, Civic Coalition, Third Way, New, TVN, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Warsaw, Poland, Republic of Poland

☆ Polish president to announce new PM on Monday - aide
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Polish President Andrzej Duda speaks as he attends the military parade on Armed Forces Day, celebrated annually on August 15 to commemorate Poland's victory over the Soviet Union's Red Army in 1920, in Warsaw, Poland, August 15, 2023. President Andrzej Duda, an ally of PiS, said before the election he would give the first shot at forming a government to the largest single party. "After consultations and deep consideration, President Andrzej Duda has made a decision regarding the so-called first step (of appointing a government). Despite all the other parties in parliament ruling out a coalition with PiS, Morawiecki has said he still intends to try and form a government. If Morawiecki were tasked by Duda with forming a government but proved unable to win a vote of confidence in parliament, the chamber would then appoint another prime minister.

Persons: Andrzej Duda, Kacper, PiS, Marcin Mastalerek, Duda, Donald Tusk, Marcin Kierwinski, PiS's Mateusz, Tusk, Morawiecki, Pawel Jablonski, Anna Wlodarczak, Alan Charlish, Pawel, Gareth Jones Organizations: Armed Forces, Soviet Union's Red Army, REUTERS, Rights, Justice, Union, Civic Coalition, European Council, Radio Zet, PiS, RMF, Thomson Locations: Warsaw, Poland, Polish

☆ Polish President to Announce New PM on Monday
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

WARSAW (Reuters) - Polish president Andrzej Duda will announce his decision on appointing a new prime minister after last month's election on Monday evening, an aide to the president said. "After consultations and deep consideration, President Andrzej Duda made a decision regarding the so-called first step (of appointing a government). The decision is final ...," Marcin Mastalerek, head of Duda’s chancellery, wrote on Twitter, adding that Duda was planning a televised address later on Monday. The Law and Justice (PiS) party which ruled in Poland for the last eight years won the Oct. 15 election but lost its absolute majority and is unlikely to find a coalition partner. (Reporting by Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk, editing by Ed Osmond)

Persons: Andrzej Duda, Marcin Mastalerek, Duda, Donald Tusk, Anna Wlodarczak, Ed Osmond Organizations: Twitter, Justice, Civic Coalition Locations: WARSAW, Poland

☆ A Less Polarized Poland? Not Yet, Election Results Suggest.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( Andrew Higgins | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Three years apart in age, the brother and sister grew up in a tiny village in eastern Poland, helping out on the family farm and going to church each Sunday under pressure from their parents. Today, the siblings, Monika Zochowska, 38, and her brother, Szymon, 41, are separated by a wide gulf opened by politics and outlook — examples of the many chasms cleaving Poland as it wrestles with the results of a recent general election that handed a narrow majority in Parliament to opponents of the nationalist governing party. Monika and Szymon stand on opposite sides of perhaps the deepest of those divides: the gap between villages and small towns, which voted heavily for nationalist forces, and urban centers, which gave overwhelming support to their more centrist and liberal opponents, notably Civic Coalition, the main opposition party.

Persons: Monika Zochowska, Szymon, Monika Organizations: Civic Coalition Locations: Poland

☆ Ukraine ally Poland is moving to the political center. And that's bad news for Russia's Putin
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

It has taken in more than a million refugees from its close ally Ukraine since the start of the war, with many more millions passing through it. Its relations with Ukraine have soured in recent months, partly because of a dispute over the impact of Ukrainian grain imports on local farmers. Tian also expects the result to "reposition Poland as a staunch supporter of Ukraine" and for Tusk to push for EU accession for Ukraine. "The big thing to bear in mind when looking at Poland and Ukraine is they have an overarching strategic common interest [challenging Russian aggression], and this supersedes everything. So it will be difficult to restore relations to how they were in the first 18 months of the war, regardless of what Poland does."

Persons: Donald Tusk, Donald Tusk —, —, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Tusk, Tian, Aleks Szczerbiak, Szczerbiak Organizations: Civic, Getty, EU, Justice, CNBC, NATO, World Trade Organization, Law, Nurphoto, European, Economist Intelligence Unit, University of Sussex, Confederation, Soviet, Russia Locations: Warsaw, Moscow, Ukraine, Europe, Russia, China, India, Poland, Warsaw's, Krakow, Central Europe, Hungary, Slovakia, Berlin

☆ Poland election: Donald Tusk's pro-European opposition seems set to oust populists, but tense days lie ahead
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

PiS finished ahead of opposition party Civic Coalition (KO), led by former Polish Prime Minister and European Council President Donald Tusk, on 30.7%. Tusk had promised to restore democratic norms in Poland and cooperate with Western European allies, among whom Warsaw was fast becoming a pariah. Poland’s PiS-aligned President, Andrzej Duda, is expected to give the PiS every chance to form a government before turning over proceedings to Poland’s new block of opposition lawmakers. According to the Polish constitution, the president must call a new parliamentary session within 30 days of the election. Tusk had painted the election as a last chance to save Polish democracy.

Persons: CNN —, PiS, Donald Tusk, Tusk, Poland’s, Andrzej Duda, Mateusz Morawiecki, ” Organizations: CNN, Justice, National Electoral Commission, Civic Coalition, Polish, European, Tusk’s, Western, Confederation, Democracy, European Union Locations: Warsaw’s, Poland, Warsaw, Kyiv, Ukraine

☆ Poland's ruling nationalists lose majority in election, final results confirm
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Leader of Poland's ruling conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party Jaroslaw Kaczynski, holds flowers during a speech after the exit poll results are announced in Warsaw, Poland, October 15, 2023. REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel Acquire Licensing RightsWARSAW, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Poland's ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party won most votes in Sunday's national election but fell short of a majority, final official results showed on Tuesday, confirming that the liberal, pro-EU opposition is on track to form the next government. The official results from 100% of voting districts gave PiS, a nationalist, socially conservative party, 35.38% of the vote, while the liberal Civic Coalition (KO) was in second place with 30.70%. The Civic Coalition, New Left and Third Way have said they are ready to form a coalition government and that they will start talks once the official results are published. KO and its allies are also set to win a clear majority in the 100-seat upper chamber of parliament, the Senate, elected on a first-past-the-post system, the official results showed.

Persons: Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Aleksandra Szmigiel, Andrzej Duda, PiS, Anna Wlodarczak, Karol Badohal, Gareth Jones Organizations: Law, Justice, REUTERS, Rights, liberal Civic Coalition, New Left, Civic Coalition, New, Thomson Locations: Warsaw, Poland

☆ Clean energy fans should not expect too much from pro-EU Poland
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Gavin Maguire | Thomson Reuters | Gavin Maguire Is The Global Energy Transition Columnist. He Was Previously Asia Commodities | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Indeed, the pace of Poland's clean energy supply growth may more often undershoot expectations than exceed them over the near term, even with a significant swing in political power. POWER SYSTEM CHANGES ALREADY UNDERWAYA major reason for climate trackers to expect only modest shifts in clean energy policies and momentum going forward is that Poland's energy system has already substantially cleaned up its electricity generation mix in recent years. Between 2018 and 2022, Poland's electricity producers boosted clean electricity supply capacity by over 150% so that clean sources now account for roughly 40% of total electricity capacity, up from 20% in 2018, data from think tank Ember shows. BACKLOGS BREWINGEmerging problems linking new clean generation assets with Poland's electric grid are a key reason why clean power growth may slow going forward. Pushing power costs lower may even trump plans to further clean up the power generation system, which may only add to power generation costs over the near term despite resulting in lower emissions in the long run.

Persons: Donald Tusk, Donald Tusk's, Gavin Maguire, Sonali Paul Organizations: European Union Civic Coalition, European, Poland's Institute, Reuters, Thomson Locations: LITTLETON , Colorado, Poland, Germany, Ukraine, Europe, LSEG, Western Europe

The conservative Law and Justice party, which has governed the country for eight turbulent years, won slightly over 35% of the votes, making it the single party with the most votes. But the party and its leader Jarosław Kaczyński lost their majority in parliament and appeared to have no way to hold onto power. The official ballot announced by the National Electoral Commission aligns closely with an exit poll released after voting ended Sunday. Political Cartoons View All 1211 ImagesThe result was a huge victory for Donald Tusk, the head of the largest opposition group, Civic Coalition. The National Electoral Commission said that Law and Justice won slightly over 35% of the votes, and the far-right Confederation, a possible ally, about 7%.

Persons: Jarosław Kaczyński, Donald Tusk Organizations: Justice, National, Commission, Law, Civic Coalition, European Council, European Union, Electoral Commission, Left Locations: WARSAW, Poland, Germany, Russia, Ukraine

☆ Analysis: EUphoria! Poland election surprise spurs investor hope
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Marc Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Donald Tusk, leader of the largest opposition grouping Civic Coalition (KO), delivers a speech after the exit poll results are announced in Warsaw, Poland, October 15, 2023. As Europe’s sixth-largest economy, a revitalised pro-EU attitude in Poland would be particularly welcome. The 66-year old Tusk and his pro-EU coalition allies may still have to wait weeks or even months though before getting a turn at forming a government. Duda has referred the issue at the heart of that row to a constitutional tribunal in Poland. The central bank though has slashed interest rates at its last two meetings as the election campaign burst into life.

Persons: Donald Tusk, Kacper, Poland's, Daniel Moreno, Mirabaud, PiS, Moreno, Hungary's Viktor Orban, Robert Fico, Tusk, Andrzej Duda, Duda, Viktor Szabo, Fitch, Szabo, Adam Glapinski, PiS ., Simon Quijano, Evans, Libby George, Karin Strohecker, Josie Kao Organizations: Civic Coalition, REUTERS, European Union, Law and Justice, European, EU, Brussels, PiS, Gemcorp, Ukraine, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Warsaw, Poland, Brussels, Europe, EU, Slovakia, Britain, London

Donald Tusk, leader of the largest opposition grouping Civic Coalition (KO), speaks after the exit poll results are announced in Warsaw, Poland, October 15, 2023. A late Ipsos exit poll published early on Monday gave PiS 36.6% of the vote, which would translate into 198 lawmakers in the 460-seat lower house of parliament. RECORD TURNOUTThe late exit poll had been delayed, and some commentators linked this to a record turnout of nearly 73%, the highest since the fall of communism in 1989. Tusk, 66, was jubilant following the announcement of the first exit poll results on Sunday. This is the end of the PiS government," he told party members.

Persons: Donald Tusk, Kacper, Tusk, Donald Tusk's, Cezary Tomczyk, Andrzej Duda, Duda, Mateusz Morawiecki, Joachim Brudzinski, Brudzinski, Wladysław Kosiniak, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Lidia Kelly, Alan Charlish, Shri Navaratnam, Gareth Jones Organizations: Civic Coalition, REUTERS, EU WARSAW, European Union, Law, Justice, European, EU, TVN, Polish Peasants's Party, Local, Democracy, Thomson Locations: Warsaw, Poland, Brussels, Europe, Wrocław, Gdansk, Melbourne

☆ Poland's ruling nationalists ahead in election but short of majority -late poll
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Leader of Poland's ruling conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party Jaroslaw Kaczynski, holds flowers during a speech after the exit poll results are announced in Warsaw, Poland, October 15, 2023. REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Acquire Licensing RightsWARSAW, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Poland's ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party was ahead in a national election, an late exit poll showed on Monday, although it would fall short of a majority. The IPSOS late poll publish by Polsat News gave PiS 36.6% of votes, while the liberal Civic Coalition (KO) was in second place with 31% the centre-right Third Way was third with 13.5%, New Left had 8.6% and the far-right Confederation were on 6.4%. Reporting by Pawel Florkiewicz and Alan CharlishOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Aleksandra Szmigiel, Pawel Florkiewicz, Alan Charlish Organizations: Law, Justice, REUTERS, Rights, Polsat News, liberal Civic Coalition, New, Thomson Locations: Warsaw, Poland

Partial results with two-thirds of the voting districts reporting their results also showed the opposition parties with a clear lead. The earlier results tend to come from rural areas and small towns, with large cities where opposition parties do better reporting their results later. The Ipsos poll showed that three centrist opposition parties that campaigned on a promise to reverse the illiberal drift of the government had together secured 249 seats in the 460-seat lower house of parliament, or Sejm, a clear majority. “No matter how you look at it, we won,” Law and Justice campaign manager Joachim Brudziński said Monday in an interview on RMF FM radio. Even if the opposition parties take power, they will face difficulties in putting forward their agenda.

Persons: Ipsos, Viktor Orbán, Robert Fico, “, Magdalena Chmieluk, ”, Douglas Wake, Jacek Kucharczyk, ” Kucharczyk, Mateusz Morawiecki, Joachim Brudziński, Andrzej Duda, Duda, haven't, Kamysz, Donald Tusk, Tusk, Elżbieta, Cezary Tomczyk, ” Tomczyk, Kucharczyk, Pietro De Cristofaro, Kwiyeon, Raf Casert Organizations: European Union, Law, Justice, Russia's, Organization for Security, Cooperation, Institute of Public Affairs, Associated Press, ”, RMF, Third Way, Civic Coalition, European, Third, EU Locations: WARSAW, Poland, Poland's, Ukraine, Wroclaw, EU, Brussels, Berlin, Hungary, Russia, Slovakia, Europe, Warsaw, Rome, Belarus

Donald Tusk, leader of the largest opposition grouping Civic Coalition (KO), speaks after the exit poll results are announced in Warsaw, Poland, October 15, 2023. The incumbent Law and Justice (PiS) party has repeatedly clashed with the European Union over the rule of law, media freedom, migration and LGBT rights since it swept to power in 2015. An Ipsos exit poll published early on Monday gave PiS 36.6% of the vote, which would translate into 198 lawmakers in the 460-seat lower house of parliament. On Monday, Duda urged patience until the full election results were known. However, with the far-right Confederation seen winning just 6.4%, below expectations, according to the exit poll, PiS will struggle to forge a new government.

Persons: Donald Tusk, Kacper, Donald Tusk's, Tusk, Lee Hardman, Andrzej Duda, Duda, PiS, Wladyslaw Kosiniak, Kamysz, beholden, Iga Frackiewicz, Lidia Kelly, Alan Charlish, Gareth Jones Organizations: Civic Coalition, REUTERS, EU, Justice, European Union, European, Polish Peasants ' Party, Thomson Locations: Warsaw, Poland, WARSAW, Brussels, Europe, Polish, Wrocław, Gdansk, Melbourne

☆ Poland's opposition leader Tusk says 3 parties have enough votes to unseat the Law and Justice party
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Polish opposition leader Donald Tusk said that three opposition parties had sufficient votes to win the general election on Sunday after an exit poll projected that they had enough combined support to oust Law and Justice, the governing conservative nationalist party. The Ipsos exit poll suggested that the opposition together has likely won 248 seats in the 460-seat lower house of parliament, the Sejm. Law and Justice, according to the projection, obtained 200 seats, while the far-right Confederation got 12 seats. The exit poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points. Law and Justice won nearly 44% of the vote in 2019, but has been polling in recent weeks at more than 30%.

Persons: Donald Tusk, Tusk, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Kaczynski Organizations: Civic Coalition Party, Women, Elections, Justice, Law, Democracy, Poland, Tusk's Civic Coalition, European Union, Votes, EU, Senate, Foreign Ministry Locations: Lodz, Poland, Polish, Ukraine, Russia

☆ Poland holds high-stakes election amid rows over democratic rule
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( Justyna Pawlak | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] Robert Biedron, Wlodzimierz Czarzasty, Anna Maria Zukowska, Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, Adrian Zandberg and Magdalena Biejat of the New Left (Nowa Lewica) alliance gesture during the final day of campaigning for the parliamentary elections in Warsaw, Poland, October 13, 2023. Opinion polls suggest PiS will come out ahead but could lose its majority amid intensifying discontent over its democratic record, which has cost Poland billions of euros in EU aid, and concerns over women's rights and the cost of living. "This election will show whether Poland will be governed by Poles, or by Berlin or Brussels," PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski told supporters at the party's last campaign rally on Friday. It has built its support on generous social handouts, which it says rival parties will stop. Tusk says his party would maintain social support.

Persons: Robert Biedron, Wlodzimierz Czarzasty, Anna Maria Zukowska, Joanna Scheuring, Adrian Zandberg, Magdalena Biejat, PiS, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Donald Tusk, Tusk, Rafal Trzaskowski, Pawel Florkiewicz, Giles Elgood Organizations: New, Law and Justice, European Union, EU, NATO, liberal Civic Coalition, European, Warsaw, Confederation, JPMorgan, Thomson Locations: Warsaw, Poland, Slawomir, WARSAW, Ukraine, Washington, Kyiv, Berlin, Brussels, Skarzysko Kamienna, Kalisz

The Ipsos exit poll suggested that the opposition together has likely won 248 seats in the 460-seat lower house of parliament, the Sejm. Law and Justice, according to the projection, obtained 200 seats, while the far-right Confederation got 12 seats. Votes were still being counted and the state electoral commission says it expects to have final results by Tuesday morning. Law and Justice won nearly 44% of the vote in 2019, but has been polling in recent weeks at more than 30%. In a sign of the emotions generated by the vote, more than 600,000 Poles registered to vote abroad.

Persons: Donald Tusk, Tusk, Jaroslaw Kaczynski Organizations: Justice, Law, Democracy, Poland, ”, Tusk's Civic Coalition, European Union, Votes, EU, Senate, Foreign Ministry Locations: WARSAW, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Polish

"Public media are paid for with our taxes in order to give citizens access to fair information. And that's particularly important at... election time," said Joanna Krawczyk from the German Marshall Fund, a think-tank. PiS says private media outlets such as Warner Bros' (WBD.O) TVN often distort public debate by representing foreign interests. This perceived bias in public broadcasting has exacerbated political divisions in Polish society. "When she watches TVP, he goes to the kitchen."

Persons: Kacper, TVP, Szalai, RSF, Joanna Krawczyk, KRRiT, PiS, Grzegorz Lewandowski, Donald Tusk, Alan Charlish, Gareth Jones Organizations: Telewizja Polska SA, REUTERS, Sunday Government, WARSAW, Law and Justice, Media, German Marshall Fund, European Union, Civic Coalition, Reuters, Warner Bros, TVN, European Centre for Press, Media Freedom, Thomson Locations: Warsaw, Poland, TVP, Sochaczew, Hungary, Turkey, Russia

[1/2] Shadow of the supporter is pictured during the election convention of Law and Justice (PiS) party, before Sunday's parliamentary elections, in Przysucha, Poland October 9, 2023. "It is the most important election we have this year in Europe," said Viktor Szabo, portfolio manager at asset manager abrdn, adding markets had not priced in scenarios such as a hung parliament or the possibility of an early election. Such a scenario would be a key positive for both the currency and Polish equities, said Anna Zadornova, an economist at UBS. "Ultimately there is a point where you need to yield to the economics and how things are going," said Kaan Nazli, a portfolio manager at Neuberger Berman. ($1 = 0.9461 euros)Reporting by Karin Strohecker and Marc Jones, editing by Alexander SmithOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kacper, Viktor Szabo, Szabo, PiS, Daniel Wood, William Blair, Anna Zadornova, Banks, Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Adam Glapinski, Kaan Nazli, Neuberger Berman, Karin Strohecker, Marc Jones, Alexander Smith Organizations: Law, Justice, REUTERS, LONDON, abrdn, European Union, JPMorgan, Reuters Graphics EU, EU, liberal Civic Coalition, UBS, Poland's, Copley Fund, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Przysucha, Poland, Europe, loggerheads, Brussels, Romania, Hungary

Search resuls for: "Civic Coalition"

25 mentions found