#POLAND: Region Declared "LGBT-Free" Zone By Council; EU To Pull Funding

[world politics news]

A Polish regional council has voted to re-affirm its status as an “LGBT -free zone” despite the EU threatening to remove billions of euros in funding.

The council of Malopolska – a southern region of Poland which includes the country's second city Krakow and 3.4 million citizens – passed a resolution in 2019 which declared itself an “LGBT-free” region.

This prompted a rebuke by the European Commission , which sent a letter to the council demanding it revoked the resolution by the middle of September. If it did not, it could lose the more than €2.5bn (about £2.1bn) in funding it receives from the EU.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#POLAND: Parliament Moves To Approve Media Reform Bill

[world politics news]

The lower house of Poland’s parliament voted 228-216 to narrowly pass a media reform legislation on Wednesday that the US Department of State fears will “significantly weaken the media environment the Polish people have worked so long to build.”

The bill aims to prevent non-European owners from having controlling stakes in Poland-based media companies as part of an effort to nationalize the media.

Effectively, this would force US-based Discovery Inc. to sell its controlling stake in TVN24 network—a flagship evening news program that has a large viewership base and is known to be critical of the current Polish government.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#POLAND: Ruling Party Says It Opts Out Of EU "Social Revolution"

[world politics news]

The European Union is plotting a cultural revolution to destroy traditional families and the continent’s Christian heritage, according to Poland’s most powerful politician.

Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the leader of the nationalist ruling Law & Justice party, is an architect of Poland’s crackdown on gay rights over the last half decade. 

His government has been repeatedly sued by the EU’s executive for eroding the rule of law and may soon face disciplinary action after towns and regions across Poland declared themselves “free of LGBTQ ideology.”

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#POLAND: Schools To Teach EU Is An "Unlawful Entity"

[world politics news]

Students in Polish schools will be taught that the European Union is an “unlawful entity," says Eucation Minister Przemysław Czarnek. He also wants history classes to focus more on teaching pride in Poland’s past rather than, as before, “shame” about it.

Czarnek said the changes are part of the government’s new “Polish Deal” program, which was unveiled last Saturday. As well as bolstering social spending and introducing a more progressive tax system, the plan also contains elements intended to strengthen Polish identity, such as more history teaching in schools.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#POLAND: Author Faces Prison For Insulting The President

[world politics news]

A popular Polish writer and journalist could face up to three years in prison for calling President Andrzej Duda a "moron" in a Facebook post in November.

Jakub Zulczyk accused Duda of failing to understand the US electoral process in a tweet to Joe Biden.

Duda's tweet stopped short of recognising his victory, pending Electoral College confirmation, but hailed his "successful campaign".

Poland has made it a crime to insult state leaders and religion.

In a Facebook post, his British publisher, Legend Times, said they were shocked by the charges.

"History shows us the consequences of denying freedom of speech, it is essential for working society and its chilling oppression cannot be accepted. As his UK publisher, we stand fully with Jakub as I am sure do all writers and others here in the UK.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#POLAND: October Ruling By Supreme Court Could Further Tighten Access To Abortions

[world politics news] 

An imminent ruling by the government-controlled Constitutional Tribunal would make the country's restrictive abortion laws even more stringent.

A group of over 100 conservative and nationalist members of parliament asked the tribunal last year to review the constitutionality of what they claim is "eugenic" abortion - namely, when the procedure is performed in cases of severe birth defects or fetal abnormalities. In a surprise move last week, the tribunal said it will rule on the group's motion on October 22.

The immanent ruling has sparked protests across the conservative Catholic nation from pro-abortion campaigners.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#POLAND: Kosher, Halal Meat Exports Banned By Lower House Of Parliament

[world politics news] 

Poland has moved a step closer to terminating its $1.8 billion industry of kosher and halal meat for export — one day after a parliamentary committee had removed language about a ban in an animal rights bill.

Th parliament’s lower house, the Sejm, voted in favor of the Law on Animal Protection. Among the 460 lawmakers, 375 backed the measure. The text on the ban was reintroduced.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#POLAND: Presidential Election Goes To Runoff As Duda Suddenly Faces Close Race

[world politics news]

Poland’s conservative President Andrzej Duda will face centrist challenger Rafał Trzaskowski in a runoff election next month after no candidate won an outright majority in a first round of voting on Sunday, according to final results announced by electoral officials.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#POLAND: Former EU Pres. Tusk Will Boycott Election; Incumbent Duda Is Likely Winner

[world politics news]

Former European Council president Donald Tusk is appealing for a boycott of the upcoming presidential election in his native Poland, saying the postal vote the government has proposed carries health risks amid the coronavirus pandemic and would not meet democratic standards for free, equal and transparent elections.

Tusk, who served as Poland’s prime minister from 2007 to 2014, said in a video on Twitter that he would not “not take part in the voting procedure" for the May 10 balloting. He said the vote promoted by the right-leaning ruling party “has nothing to do with an election.”

According to the latest election poll conducted by Statista in April 2020, the current President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, has the highest chance of winning next year's presidential election. The poll estimates that he may count on 59% of votes.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#POLAND: Due To Lockdown, Parliament Approves All-Mail Vote, May Move Election Date

[world politics news]

Polish lawmakers has voted to conduct the country's forthcoming presidential elections exclusively through postal voting due to the lockdown imposed for the coronavirus pandemic.

Parliament also empowered house speaker Elzbieta Witek to push back the date of the election, if necessary. Both decisions by parliament require approval from the Senate and from President Andrzej Duda, who is seeking reelection.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#POLAND: Ruling Law And Justice Party Wins Parliamentary Election

[world politics news]

Poland's ruling conservative Law and Justice Party has won the most votes in the country's parliamentary election, according to partial official results.

The state electoral commission reported Monday that Law and Justice won 44.6% of the vote. The opposition Civic Coalition, comprising the Civic Platform Party formerly led by European Council President Donald Tusk and some smaller liberal parties, came second with almost 27%.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#POLAND: Gov't Announces It Will Not Sign UN Migration Pact; Joining Israel, US, Hungary, Others

[world politics news]

World Politics News reported on Oct. 22 that Poland would likely not sign the UN Global Migration Pact. Today the Polish government announced that indeed it will not sign the United Nations Global Compact for Migration. In doing so, Poland joins the United States, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Estonia and Austria.

In a statement released today, the government said: "The Polish government has decided that Poland will not support the Global Compact … neither in Marrakesh nor during the subsequent vote at the UN General Assembly." Earlier in the day, Israel refused to support this migration pact.

Pictured: Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#POLAND: Interior Minister Recommends Opting Out Of UN Migration Deal, Due To Be Signed In December; Hungary Already A "No"

[world politics news]

Poland should not sign the United Nations new migration pact, says Joachim Brudzinski, Poland's minister of internal affairs. Brudzinski cites the lack of guarantees for "Poland's safety," and says it may encourage illegal immigration to Europe. He says he will recommend that Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki opt out of the Global Compact deal, which is due to be signed in December in Marrakesh, Morocco.

Hungary has already announced it will not sign the Global Compact For "Safe, Orderly and Regular” Migration, which was approved in July. The United States pulled out already, arguing that it interfered with America's immigration laws. Eastern European nations have been increasingly skeptical of both European and UN's regulations of migration.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#POLAND: Pres. Duda Calls EU "Imaginary Community" And "Irrelevant"

[world politics news]

Poland’s President Andrzej Duda has called the European Union, of which Poland is a member, an “imaginary community” of little relevance to Poles. “When our affairs are resolved, we will deal with European affairs,” Duda said in a speech. “For now let them leave us alone and let us fix Poland, because this is the most important thing.” Duda and the ruling Law and Justice Party have been in conflict with the EU over an overhaul of the Polish judicial system which the EU sees as violating the rule of law. Duda's government says the reforms as making judges more accountable.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#POLAND: PM Morawiecki Kicks Off Municipal Election Campaign

[world politics news]

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has kicked off the ruling party's municipal election campaign with a rally in the ancient city Sandomierz. He spoke about new policies for farmers such as subsidies on fuel and measures to stop price fixing by foreign companies.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#POLAND: Legislator Says Germany Owes $850 Billion To Poland As World War II Reparations; Germans Disagree

[world politics news]

Polish parliamentarian Arkadiusz Mularczyk says the German government owes his nation over $850 billion in reparations for damage caused during World War II. Germany has in the past denied such a claim, saying that a 1953 agreement with the Polish government settled all claims. Poland counters that the deal was made with the Soviet puppet government, and doesn't count.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#POLAND: EU Starts Process Of Stripping Poland Of Member State Voting Rights Over Court Reforms

[world politics news]

The European Union has triggered a process that could ultimately see Poland stripped of voting rights in Brussels in an unprecedented step designed to force the country’s conservative government to drop reforms the bloc regards as a threat to the country’s democracy. The country's fellow 27 member states have been advised by the European commission that the legislative program of Poland’s government is putting at risk fundamental values expected of a democratic state by allowing political interference in its courts.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#POLAND: Gov't Creates Committee To Determine German War Reparations

[world politics news]

Poland's governing conservatives have set up a parliamentary committee tasked with looking into the extent of World War II reparations they claim is owed by Germany. A member of the governing Law and Justice Party says there is no set date for the committee to produce its results. The issue of war reparations, for decades considered as settled, was revived in July by party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski. Earlier this month Prime Minister Beata Szydlo said Warsaw "has the right" to ask for reparations. Germany disagrees, saying the issue was settled in the 1950s.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#POLAND: Pres. Duda Vetoes 2 Controversial Legal Reforms After Mass Protests

[world politics news]

Poland's President Andrzej Duda has unexpectedly vetoed two out of three contentious bills that are widely seen as assaults on the independence of the judicial system and are part of a planned legal overhaul by the ruling party that has sparked days of nationwide protests.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#POLAND: PM Tells EU It Will Fight Penalties For Not Taking Refugees

[world politics news]

Polish ministry of foreign affairs will contest European Commission plans to penalize the country for refusing to accept any refugees as part of an EU relocation plan. The Polish ministry said the nation had shown solidarity in the migrant crisis by protecting its external borders.

[FULL STORY HERE]

Pictured: Dimitris Avramopoulos, European Commissioner for Migration, and Beata Szydło.