Share

Poland's democracy anniversary marred by political divisions

Share

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland marked Tuesday the 30-year anniversary of partly-free elections that contributed to the fall of communism, with the country still divided over its legacy.

The country’s liberal opposition argues that the 1989 vote was a milestone event in Poland’s transition into a European democracy. In that election, communist authorities made a portion of parliamentary seats available to candidates from the Solidarity movement that had opposed the regime during the 1980s.

In the election, Poles voted heavily for Solidarity candidates over communists in a clear sign that they wanted a change of power. That vote accelerated the fall of communism in Poland later in 1989, and fueled the wave of revolutions in eastern Europe over the following year or two.

“Poland showed to Europe and to the whole world that you can build a democracy without violence or bloodshed,” European Council leader Donald Tusk said during ceremonies in his hometown of Gdansk. Tusk was a Solidarity activist and served as Poland’s prime minister from 2007-2014.

But leaders from Poland’s right-wing Law and Justice government stress that the 1989 elections were flawed as they stemmed from a deal that allowed the communists to preserve some influence under democracy.

Trending:
KJP Panics, Hangs Up in Middle of Interview When Reporter Shows He Isn't a Democratic Party Propagandist

That argument holds little sway with the government’s opponents who argue that under Law and Justice hard-earned changes are now under threat, notably the country’s relationship with the European Union.

Many of the government’s opponents, who include Tusk and former president Lech Walesa were celebrating the milestone with a debate, a ceremonial declaration and a cake in Gdansk, the cradle of the pro-democracy Solidarity movement in the 1980s.

“We would not be celebrating democracy today if it had not been for those elections,” Walesa said. “The people in power now should also remember they would not be there if not for that victory.”

Tusk encouraged a wide union of opposition forces to defeat the ruling party in the fall parliamentary elections. Last month’s elections to the European Parliament gave victory to Law and Justice, because the opposition “wasn’t united well enough or broadly enough,” Tusk said.

“You can always count on me,” he said, which some understood as a readiness to return to Polish politics.

The ruling Law and Justice party was holding observances in Warsaw that included a ceremonial session of the Senate, attended by President Andrzej Duda, and public concerts.

They argue that Poland’s transition to democracy and economic development could have been more rapid had the communist legacy been cut at the start. A key component of the government’s political strategy is to discredit and remove from public life people who, they say, were linked to the communist and the early post-communist era, including Walesa.

The Western Journal has not reviewed this Associated Press story prior to publication. Therefore, it may contain editorial bias or may in some other way not meet our normal editorial standards. It is provided to our readers as a service from The Western Journal.

Truth and Accuracy

Submit a Correction →



We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Tags:
Share
The Associated Press is an independent, not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York City. Their teams in over 100 countries tell the world’s stories, from breaking news to investigative reporting. They provide content and services to help engage audiences worldwide, working with companies of all types, from broadcasters to brands. Photo credit: @AP on Twitter
The Associated Press was the first private sector organization in the U.S. to operate on a national scale. Over the past 170 years, they have been first to inform the world of many of history's most important moments, from the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the bombing of Pearl Harbor to the fall of the Shah of Iran and the death of Pope John Paul.

Today, they operate in 263 locations in more than 100 countries relaying breaking news, covering war and conflict and producing enterprise reports that tell the world's stories.
Location
New York City




Conversation