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Poland election: Tusk’s opposition eyes power after pivotal vote

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In Poland’s recent general election, the opposition parties have gathered enough votes to remove the ruling right-wing populist Law and Justice (PiS) party from power. The National Election Commission confirmed PiS’s victory with 35.38% of the vote, surpassing the centrist opposition Civic Coalition led by Donald Tusk, which secured 30.7%.

Donald Tusk, with the support of the center-right Third Way and New Left parties, is likely to form a broad coalition, thus ending PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski’s eight-year rule. With 248 seats in the 460-seat Sejm, Mr. Tusk’s coalition would exceed the 231-seat threshold required for a majority.

Despite PiS losing 41 seats compared to the last election, their potential coalition with the far-right Confederation party would still fall short by 19 seats. The opposition had alerted Poles that this election was crucial in safeguarding democracy. Voter turnout was reported at 74.38%, the highest since the fall of communism in 1989.

Celebrations erupted in Warsaw, with Mr. Tusk addressing enthusiastic supporters, emphasizing that Poland and democracy had emerged victorious. Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski praised the power of civil society, highlighting the significant voter participation in the capital.

Poland’s stock market surged more than 6%, and the Zloty, its currency, also strengthened on the anticipation of a new government. International observers noted that although parties were allowed to campaign freely, PiS had an advantage due to biased state media coverage and the misuse of public funds.

PiS’s tenure has been characterized by an emphasis on Catholic family values, increases in the minimum wage, and enhancements in child support and pensioner payments. It also imposed a near-total ban on abortion in 2021 and faced criticism for politicizing the judiciary.

Mr. Tusk has pledged to improve relations with the EU and unlock €36bn of EU Covid pandemic recovery funds, frozen due to disputes over PiS’s judicial reforms. His coalition also aims to liberalize abortion laws.

Poland’s strong support for Ukraine since Russia’s invasion and its acceptance of a million refugees are expected to continue under the new government. However, the process of forming a new government might extend until December, following President Andrzej Duda’s announcement that the winning party would be given the first opportunity to form a coalition, adhering to Polish tradition.

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Poland’s Government Faces Mounting Pressure Amid Escalating Visa-for-Cash Scandal

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The Speaker of Poland’s upper house of parliament, Tomasz Grodzki, has urged the government to disclose its knowledge regarding an escalating scandal involving cash for visas. Grodzki expressed concern that the issue was damaging Poland’s international image as a responsible democracy.

Reports suggest that migrants paid substantial sums, up to $5,000 (£4,000) each, to expedite their work visa applications. While seven individuals have been charged in connection with the scandal, none of them are public officials.

The Deputy Foreign Minister of Poland, Piotr Wawrzyk, was dismissed last week in the wake of these allegations. His removal coincided with a search of the foreign ministry conducted by Poland’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA). The director of the ministry’s legal service was also terminated.

In response to the scandal, the foreign ministry announced the termination of all contracts with outsourcing companies responsible for handling visa applications since 2011. Opposition MPs allege that as many as 250,000 visas for individuals from Asia and Africa were irregularly issued through these outsourcing companies, a claim disputed by the government, which maintains that only several hundred were involved.

Donald Tusk, the leader of the opposition Civic Platform party, criticized the government’s migration policy, stating that anyone seeking to travel from Africa to Poland could easily obtain a visa at the embassy. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki dismissed these allegations, asserting that there is no widespread issue.

Speaker Grodzki characterized the scandal as the most significant Poland has faced in the 21st century, with corruption reaching the highest levels of government, posing a direct threat to the country. Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro downplayed the scale of the problem in an interview with state-run news channel TVP Info.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA) became aware of the matter in July 2022 and has been conducting investigations since then. This scandal has the potential to cast a shadow over the Law and Justice party’s (PiS) anti-immigration stance ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for the next month. While PiS currently leads in polls, it remains uncertain whether they can secure the outright majority required to continue governing for a third term.

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Bavarian Deputy Leader Aiwanger Faces Scrutiny Over Historical Anti-Semitic Flyer

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Bavarian Deputy Premier Hubert Aiwanger is facing scrutiny over his involvement with an anti-Semitic pamphlet from his school days. Aiwanger, a populist conservative leader, denies writing the pamphlet that mocked the Holocaust, but he has acknowledged possessing it 35 years ago. Bavarian Premier Markus Söder has asked Aiwanger to respond to 25 questions regarding the controversy. This issue comes ahead of crucial elections in Bavaria on October 8.

Söder emphasized the importance of transparency and condemned anti-Semitism, asserting that it has no place in the Bavarian government. The state parliament has requested an urgent statement on the matter. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also called for clarification, underscoring the need to address anti-Semitism vigilantly.

The pamphlet in question contained references to a fictional competition for “the biggest traitor to the Fatherland,” with a disturbing prize of a “free flight through the chimney in Auschwitz,” referencing the Auschwitz extermination camp where countless Jews were murdered during the Holocaust. Aiwanger later admitted to having copies of the pamphlet in his schoolbag during his teenage years, but he couldn’t recall whether he distributed the material himself. He denounced the content as “disgusting and inhumane.”

The situation has generated debates over whether actions from a person’s youth should impact their political career decades later. However, the pamphlet’s offensive content has been widely condemned. In Germany, making light of concentration camps is unacceptable and can have legal consequences due to Holocaust denial being a criminal offense.

Aiwanger’s response to the situation has been criticized for lacking transparency and genuine remorse. Despite his history of fiery and populist rhetoric, he has remained reticent on this matter. Pressure is mounting on Aiwanger, especially from Söder, who aims to maintain the coalition with Aiwanger’s party but is frustrated by the timing of the controversy ahead of crucial elections.

The Free Voters party, led by Aiwanger, is expected to secure 11-14% of the vote, but if support wanes, it could spell trouble for Söder’s conservative Christian Social Union. This situation is particularly significant given upcoming elections in other German states and nationally, as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has been gaining traction.

The handling of the story by the newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung has also come under scrutiny, with criticism directed at its headline suggesting Aiwanger wrote the pamphlet, even though his denial was placed behind a paywall for subscribers to access.

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Italy Settles Tab for Tourists’ Dine and Dash in Albania

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Italy’s government has taken a remarkable diplomatic step by covering the restaurant expenses of four Italian tourists who engaged in a dine and dash episode in Albania. This incident, which gained attention in both nations, led Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama to discuss the matter with his Italian counterpart, Giorgia Meloni, during her visit to Albania. In response, Meloni instructed her ambassador to personally settle the bill for these tourists, as recounted by Edi Rama in an interview with La Stampa.

Confirming the action, Italy’s embassy in Albania issued a statement, acknowledging the payment of the bill, estimated to be around €80 (£68), on behalf of its citizens. The embassy emphasized Italy’s adherence to regulations and the expectation that such incidents would not recur.

Francesco Lollobrigida, Italy’s agriculture minister and Giorgia Meloni’s brother-in-law, was also part of the Albanian trip. He expressed that taking responsibility for the bill was a matter of national pride, asserting that the actions of a few dishonest individuals should not tarnish the reputation of a nation of honorable people.

The exact date of the dine and dash event remains unclear, but surveillance footage depicting the group exiting the restaurant and disappearing into the night has gained substantial traction on social media platforms. The owner of the restaurant conveyed to Albania’s Report TV that this was the first instance of customers departing without settling their bill. Interestingly, the four Italian tourists had even expressed their appreciation for the quality of the food before leaving the establishment.

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Greek Wildfires: Summer Camp Evacuates 1,200 Children as Fire Approaches

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A summer camp in Greece has been forced to evacuate over a thousand children due to raging wildfires that have erupted in the country. As Greece endures a scorching Mediterranean heatwave, two separate blazes are spreading rapidly.

In the town of Loutraki, situated west of Athens, flames advanced towards the camp, prompting the evacuation of 1,200 children. In another incident, a man suspected of starting a fire in Kouvaras, southeast of the capital, was arrested by the police. Emergency service crews have assisted numerous individuals in evacuating their homes in the affected areas.

Several animals, including horses housed in stables, were also evacuated. The Greek government has stated that affected homeowners are eligible for temporary accommodation in local hotels and will be compensated later. Despite the efforts of hundreds of firefighters contending with strong winds, the fires continue to spread.

The situation has led to transportation disruptions, with sections of the Athens-Corinth national highway closed by the police and some train services affected. While it is suspected that at least one fire was intentionally started, scientists emphasize that such extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense due to global warming.

The intense regional heatwave shows no signs of abating, according to weather reports, and the risk of further fires remains high, as warned by the Greek meteorological service. Thick smoke, damaged houses, and cars were depicted on Greek television, reflecting the destruction caused by the wildfires. Greece has experienced temperatures surpassing 40°C (104°F) in recent days, leading to precautions such as the temporary closure of the Acropolis.

Neighboring countries like Italy and Spain are also facing unusually high temperatures, and further heat records are expected to be broken in the coming days throughout the region.

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