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Judge, Hater, Penitent, Spy – The Story of Judge Tomasz Szmydt
16 May 2024
What do clientelism, the abuse of state resources and media market manipulation have in common? These informal processes have been invalidating the accomplishments of democracy in Central Europe. The Polish government has also used these mechanisms to skew the playing field during COVID-19 further.
While the COVID-19 shock was unprecedented both in terms of the scale and speed of its effects, Poland could avoid a serious economic recession. And yet, domestic politics has never been so tense since the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party started its illiberal remodelling in 2015.
Jarosław Kaczyński, the country’s informal leader, has been exposed to a longstanding structural crisis within his coalition. Since he formally joined the government to control the radical wing led by Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro, he also divulged into a conflict with Deputy Prime Minister Jaroslaw Gowin.
In recent months, the abortion ruling has triggered a renewed standoff and put unprecedented pressure on the United Right governing coalition. As a result, the popularity of PiS has dropped heavily.
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