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Polish Election Results 2007

category international | politics / elections | news report author Sunday October 21, 2007 20:00author by Damien Moran Report this post to the editors

.
Warsaw Boycott Election Action - Tusk, PO leader and Kaczynski, PiS leader
Warsaw Boycott Election Action - Tusk, PO leader and Kaczynski, PiS leader

Poles are electing new parliamentarians today in early elections called by the conservative Law and Justice government after their coalition with controversial populists and the far-right collapsed last month. Poland's frequently controversial rule over the past 2 years under Jaroslaw Kacznski and his President brother has been focused on rooting out the alleged 'uklad,' what the twin brothers and their party label a corrupt network of former communists, big businessmen and mafia personnel who maintained control over Poland's economy and public institutions after the 1989 collapse of communism.

The main opposition party, Civic Platform (PO), stems from the same foundations as PiS, both having been prominent in the anti-communist Solidarnosc trade union movement of the 80's. They differ in that PO are more economically neo-liberal and socially less conservative, thus they appeal to younger and wealthier professionally-educated folk. The voter base of PiS is in the relgious right wing, mainly rural-based, or in the more economically neglected regions of the cities.

Over 30 million are eligible to vote, while 170,000 Poles abroad, 22,000 in Ireland, registered to partake in what is being hailed one of the most significant European elections since the end of the USSR. Poland has recently run into trouble with E.U. bureaucrats and member states while demanding greater voting rights through the square root system, opt out clauses like 'Joanina' to maintain their sovereignty, extreme sycophancy towards the Republican administration in Washington, crackdown on gay rights marches, and their friendship with the radical right-wing Redemptorist media mogul Fr. Tadeusz Rydzyk. The latter is unapologetically anti-semitic, xenophobic, homophobic and very sceptical of the E.U.'s influence in Poland.

By 4.30pm today 38.22% of the electorate had already registered their vote, an increase of 10.5% compared to the same time during the last general election held in 2005, where only 40% voted in total. The count was determined as 51.4% at 8.05pm, the best turn out since the 1993 elections, though most commentators had predicted at least it to be 60%.

For more articles from Poland on the Polish elections and the frequent hilarity of the Polish political scene please have a look at:

Ducking Polish Kaczynskiism with satire
http://peacenikhurler.blogspot.com/2007/10/ducking-poli....html

General Election in Poland - the brains behind Sunday voting!
http://peacenikhurler.blogspot.com/2007/10/general-elec....html

Polish Election Campaign comes to Ireland
http://peacenikhurler.blogspot.com/2007/10/polish-elect....html

Anarchists and the elections:
http://cia.bzzz.net/anarchists_and_the_elections

RTE coverage:

Voting under way in Polish elections
http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/1021/poland.html

Polish Election: Twin leaders, twin identity
http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/1019/poland1.html

RTE Interactive Poll: Are the Kaczynski Brothers' politics too conservative for the EU?

- Yes, I hope they lose this Sunday 76% (1624 votes)

- No, they provide a good balance 24% (514 votes)

*********************************************************

The exit polls have been put back to 9pm so results should be pouring in very soon.

Related Link: http://cia.bzzz.net/english_news

Kick all political parties to the trash can
Kick all political parties to the trash can

Anarchist Federation boycott action in Warsaw yesterday
Anarchist Federation boycott action in Warsaw yesterday

author by DMpublication date Sun Oct 21, 2007 20:38author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Voting time has been extended so the exit polls will be delayed for another little while. It's a bit of a farce really. They ran out of voting papers in some polling stations, including a Warsaw centre at 6.30pm.

The exit polls have been delayed until 10.55pm which means it's going to be a late night. One report from Poland has indicated that PO, Civic Platform lead the initial polls but that info. is not yet confirmed.

Related Link: http://www.peacenikhurler.blogspot.com
author by Jimbobpublication date Sun Oct 21, 2007 22:23author address author phone Report this post to the editors

They LIKE voter Apathy. The smaller the electorate, the less people they have to fool.
If you don't vote, they think you're just not bothered about politics. And that's just fine by them, believe me

If, on the other hand, all the people who are sick of the party lies, were to spoil your vote in such a way as it is obvious that you did it deliberately (e.g. by writing "nobody worth voting for") across it), then that would send a message that, we're pissed off, and we're willing to say so.

It's usually the case, that the number of people who are registered to vote, but did not exercise their vote, is a larger number than those who voted for the top-polling candidate.
Imagine if the highest poll was "None of the Above"? As Monty Brewster put it...

author by Don.publication date Mon Oct 22, 2007 00:10author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Looks like Civic Platform to win!!!!!

My Polish comrades at work were very happy.

author by DMpublication date Mon Oct 22, 2007 00:38author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Those who will be in the next parliament are:

Civic Platform (PO) – 43.7% (Right-wing, economically pro-big business neo-liberals, Europhiles)
Law and Justice (PiS)– 30.4% (Right-wing, authoritarian, economically more welfare-oriented, Eurosceptics)
Left and Democrats (LiD)– 13.3% (Pseudo-Leftish, supported the Iraq war, mainly made up of ex-commies, quite corrupt)
Polish Peasants Party (PSL)– 8.4%( centrist, Christian Democrats, will probably go into coalition with PO)

Those who failed to make the 5% cut are:

League of Polish Right (LPR) – 1.6% (lunatics)
Self Defence (SO) – 1.4% (populists)

As regards the boycotts are dumb comment - if there was an option to cross 'none of the above' or 'I disagree with the parliamentary democratic system' then I might consider doing it, but there is not. If one does what you suggest they do, then the votes are just read out as spoilt - people have no idea that they are protest votes.

The public thinks the person who 'spoilt the vote' is just really thick and couldn't understand the instructions. The only person who would see your political comment would be a ballot counter who doesn;t give a shite what you have written once you've spoilt your vote - they're hungry, tired, dying for a piss from all the teas they've drunk and care little or nothing about the fact that you made a very determined effort to show your opposition to all the candidates on the lists provided.

In fact, the above results indicate that the true victors are the 'Boycott party.'

The text of the image translates as (something like):

'45% of society don't give a shit for power - Anarchists are happy with their victory in the elections'

http://cia.bzzz.net/partia_bojkotu_ponownie_wygrala_wybory

Congratualtions to the Boycott Party of Poland - winners of the 2007 election
Congratualtions to the Boycott Party of Poland - winners of the 2007 election

Related Link: http://www.peacenikhurler.blogspot.com
author by Irish Times Watchpublication date Mon Oct 22, 2007 09:55author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Tusk is headling the Irish Times , as he is perceived within the EU as Pro-business and the
man to sort the corporate issues on Federalisation which the Lisbonites have agreed to, they
decided not to have an EU flag (for fear of rattling cages amongst 'euro-sceptics').

The Polish diaspora voted in three Irish Locations including Ailesbury Road, unfortunately
the Irish Government has not done so for it's citizens, nor has the Press allowed for critical debate
on the repurcussions of globalisation in terms of community and ecomomy. Very little coverage in
I.T about how the Turkish promise of military repurcussions against Kurds will 'sit' with it's
nominated EU status, they like to highlight the 'positive' aspects of the treaty. There are many problems
which the media are refusing to engage with ,the Twin's Policies were rightist and anti-semitic
the media that support them :- Radio, Newspaper and TV have centralised and coalesced
a rightist nationalistic bunch of facists which have until this point done business with both the
EU superstate and the Vatican. Tusk's acceptability is corporate and he will ensure ratification
of a treaty in 2008 that has many problems for ordinary people and while seeming
modern and a third way does nothing but place the architecture for a corporate and business
driven bloc.

author by Jimbobpublication date Mon Oct 22, 2007 10:48author address author phone Report this post to the editors


"As regards the boycotts are dumb comment - if there was an option to cross 'none of the above' or 'I disagree with the parliamentary democratic system' then I might consider doing it, but there is not. If one does what you suggest they do, then the votes are just read out as spoilt - people have no idea that they are protest votes."

Sorry Damien, but they have no idea if NOT voting is a protest or just lack of interest either.

Do they not announce the number of spoiled votes in Poland? They do in Ireland.
I would disagree there. in a normal situation, the number of spoiled votes is fairly small. If there were 20,000 spoiled votes versus 15,000 then I think that would send a clear message about how valid the mandates are.
Whereas, to claim that the boycott party won, can be picked at. There is a difference between people who are apathetic, and cynical and voting without being motivated to seek change and those who actively express their dislike of the system.

Whereas, you and your colleagues DO want change (which I agree with). I just think it would be less ambiguous if people spoiled their vote in large numbers.

So, anyway if the PO get in, it will speed up privatisation, and the euro,
It's a bit like Blair taking over from the Tories. People are gonna be happy to see the back of the right wing, jingoistic, intolerant government... and then see their hospital and transport system dismantled and privatised in a scheme the PDs would drool over.

Thanks for the reports.

author by Jimbob.publication date Mon Oct 22, 2007 11:09author address author phone Report this post to the editors

By the way, I didn't say boycotts were dumb. I said they were not a good idea.
Dumb is generally an insulting word, whereas I was offering constructive criticism,

But boycotting an election is "dumb" in the literal sense of dumb = not having a voice.

Boycotting a vote is a bit like NOT joining Fianna Fail.
They don't know you exist anyway and will write you off as too lazy or uninformed. Whereas, turning up at the Ard Fheis with a group of friends and placards will let them know that people actively disagree.

The anarchist slogan says exactly what I disagree with.

'45% of society don't give a shit for power - Anarchists are happy with their victory in the elections'

Why should we NOT give a shit? These politicians are corrupt liars. We should be angry and active.
And NO it was not a victory for anarchists. This did nothing to activate people, empower them or make their own way to effect change.
They do not get to opt out from the consequences of politicians acts, so why opt out from letting them know what we think of their policies?
After all, It's the only protest you get to make without having a line of cops trying to stop you.

Also, I don't think the vote counters would assume people just didn't understand the instructions if thousands and thousands of them were spoiled.

The politicians like to say that they got a majority. Rarely is it pointed out that with so few people voting that they were elected by about a quarter of the adult population.
If everyone registered and everyone who was pissed off with the corrupt parties were to spoil their vote then it would reflect reality a lot more.

Also, look at the people who blindly vote along party lines. They think they're doing their democratic duty, and look down on people who 'couldn't be bothered'. I think there would be a bit of soul searching if they suddenly found that their party got less votes than the spoiled vote pile. They would have to consider that lots and lots of people went to the bother of travelling to the vote centre, queueing up for ages, to express their contempt for the jumped up crooks in suits.

I think it's an idea that would be slow to catch on, and not so easy to claim 'victory for' . But it would be more clear and more easy to claim, than saying that all the people who did nothing were doing something, and that you know the reason.

author by verapublication date Mon Oct 22, 2007 12:15author address Budapest, Hungaryauthor phone Report this post to the editors

Maybe I'm just simplifying things, for me it seems that all over Central-Eastern Europe the pattern is the same more or less.
The voters have to choose more or less between an ultra neo-liberal and a conservative (that is close to the far right) party.
In Hungary, where I'm writing from, this is what happening.
I think, the Poles should prepare themselves for massive privatisation of whatever is left to privatise, probably healthcare, education, water etc.
That's what is happening in Hungary right now. The Socialist Party that is allied with a very small party of Liberals are selling everything out and want to change socialised healthcare into a privatised one.
In Slovakia the previous government tried that when the present government that is made up of extreme right parties came to power they undid it.
Probably the same thing will happen in Hungary.
It's really a choice between a rock and a hard place. Either a socially insensitive, privatise all, neoliberal party or a populist, close to the far right party.
It's really sad.

author by Jimbob.publication date Mon Oct 22, 2007 12:30author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Thanks Vera for the update from Budapest.

I'm hoping that all the Poles here, are not too busy working to notice the inherent problems in Ireland. I'm sure many of them would wish to see Poland's economy changed so they would have more choices to work at home, but at the same time, I bet they wouldn't like to see the Polish health care system sold off and private hospitals opening up instead. Which is what Tusk will be aiming for.
We're already seeing water meters being installed around the place here in Ireland... no politician (now that Joe Higgins is gone) will speak in the Dail about the plans to privatise water, education, etc. it's all quiet creeping, hoping that by the time enough people notice, it will be a fait accompli.

So, time to crank up the lobby against the next EU treaty, and get people informed and angry.

my two bits for now.

author by DMpublication date Mon Oct 22, 2007 23:57author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Jimbob said: 'they have no idea if NOT voting is a protest or just lack of interest either.'

I get the logic of course, but can the lack of interest not also be construed as a vote of protest? People have become so sick of politics due to how it is carried out by paid professionals disconnected from people's everyday reality that they just think - 'fuck it, these assholes don't represent me' or indeed, many may just not have any strong opinions one way or the other as to how things could or should be.
Apathy is for sure the biggest enemy and difficult to penetrate.

It's impossible to measure the reasons for avoiding/boycotting the elections without extensive polls and even these will have their limitations. But when was the last time you saw a panel of citizens on TV, radio who are disinterested in the political shenanigans of the electioneering process? Maybe it's a contradiction to think they would bother their ass to even articulate their reasons for not voting. My experience from meeting people who don't vote is quite different.
I think the majority, when scratched at the surface would have good reasons we could all identify with in their decision to abstain from voting.

Whether it is because they are just sick of the corporate and political class greed, have had bad experiences at the hands of the health service, or are victims to the unfortunate plain old fall into cynicism - who knows?

For what it's worth, in the city of Opole an internet poll about the boycott campaign asked people their opinions - a majority (55%) were against, 30% were sympathetic to it and 15% supported it. But these polls have to be taken with a few pinches of salt.

Don, an anarchist state is an oxymoron. Check out www.wsm.ie for some positions of how a society run on anarchist principles would operate. Seeking definitive answers to such questions are the antithesis of what anarchism stands for. It would be up for each community/workplace federation to self-organise and co-operate with each other.

I still hold to the late French anti-industrialist, christian anarchist Jacques Ellul's position that anarchism will never be universally achievable, but that it is the only fight worth fighting. If human rights and civil liberties are your priorities then supporting any political party in the current system that prevails is certainly out of the question.

It is by no means a perfect situation either way - as far as Poland's is concerned though, I fear it won't be long for the excitement to wear off and for elections to be premature again.

P.S. The election victory picture posted is satirical and not meant to co-opt those who didn't vote as the hope the foot soldiers for future anarchy.

Anarchist - re. your comment to perpetrate violence. You are the complete opposite to what anarchy in most of it's forms espouse. Freedom of speech is a fundamental tenet so talking shit about people being lined up and shot for entering a debate is the type of coercive measure that is against all anarchist principles.

I'd tick this box
I'd tick this box

Related Link: http://www.peacenikhurler.blogspot.com
author by Jimbob.publication date Tue Oct 23, 2007 01:19author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Apathy is for sure the biggest enemy and difficult to penetrate. - you said a mouthful there amigo.
The individual is further and further removed from the decision process affecting his/her life
and the system of idolising these political hacks as our betters, is perpetuating that apathy.

It can seem isolating, when the media projects distorted reality and normal opinions aren't heard, and we depend less and less on our neighbours to bake our bread, or to make our shoes, and the religion of the free market teaches us that the great goal in life is to make everything cheap, while somehow keeping our own income relatively stable.

But, as someone recently said in response to the question, "what can we do?"
- HOPE AND STRUGGLE!

author by DMpublication date Tue Oct 23, 2007 09:24author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Ken Loach's latest film, 'It's a free world,' is well worth having a look at. Although it is only a partial truth regarding the plight/lifestyles of Polish and other emigrants in London and Britain in general, it does give some insight into how exploitation has dealt with many workers, not just by gang masters but also from very ordinary natives who find themselves the bosses of people desperate to earn a decent wage, struggling with a new language, need to attain low rent and survive on a small budget, strive to save up some money to send home and eventually return home.

Related Link: http://www.sixteenfilms.co.uk/films/film/its_a_free_world/
author by iosafpublication date Tue Oct 23, 2007 14:28author address author phone Report this post to the editors

simply as the history of boycott and abstention or "non-voting" has clearly shown us that each state or electorate is different. So far we don't have a tally on spoilt votes or "blank votes", only an indication of turn-out from polling booth to booth. We know almost half of the Poles who had a vote didn't exercise it. But we don't know how that links to their geographic position. I think (despite even my greatest optimism) that it's safer to hypothesise that the Polish merely wanted an end to the two far right parties - accordingly those two parties lost 90 seats. But the turn-out compared to last time was not so dissimilar- therefore those who did vote merely floated off the far right to the less ridiculous but still as dangerous and pernicious centre-right. I offer the opinion that it is still as dangerous and pernicious after considering the collapse of the centre-left share of seats. The new centre-right party now hold the worst of all mandates for centrists - a claim to popularism which the far right systematically defined in the last years. Thus the language will change, perhaps the flags will be waved with less jingoism, maybe the assaults on civil equality which fed on homophobia will dwindle - but the fact that the Polish state entered Europe as a right wing one remains confirmed & uncontestable.

It would be interesting for Irish people & Irish Poles (& like all migrant or binational communities it is really for them to decide which they are first) to wonder how many people in Ireland with a right to vote in the elections made the trip to the Polish embassy in Dublin, & further were enough exercises of franchise frustrated by the lack of more polling stations. There's no reason that Poles in Ireland had to make their way to either the Irish or British embassy in Dublin or London. It would have provided a good lesson to all Irish people to see their fellow citizens vote in their election or as it is to pundit for a boycott in their election at special centres around the island.

But as every time there are those who dare to comment on elections in the vein of vindicated democratic participation, so we must note that no Irish voter has such a right. Irish democracy has only stretched as far as assisting the input of the poor wretches who line our hospital wards and convalsence homes & enclosed carmelite orders. You leave the state, you drop your permenant residency - you are disenfranchised.

Best of luck to the Polish wherever they may be.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_parliamentary_elect..._2007

author by lewypublication date Thu Oct 25, 2007 18:47author address author phone Report this post to the editors

so how is PiS an authoritarian party again?

author by Did someone say that?publication date Thu Oct 25, 2007 18:56author address author phone Report this post to the editors

PiS is a party grounded in a right wing mentality of control and fear, their close association with
Radio Maryja, who purvey rightist anti-semitism and of course the visit of one of the twins (by invitation)
to Ireland demons Ignorance against homosexual human beings would attest to that. They represented
on a world stage the most noxious and unappealing forms of intolerance and abuse and it is
good that they were wiped out- like Marek Jurek before them. However, they and their ilk have
friends in the media (radio, t.v, web sites) who continue to spout anti-humanistic and anti-semitic
propaganda, and whilst Tusk may be driving Poland to acceptabilty (business) and international
standards on rights, he should be aware that hate crime through facilities like Radio Maryja
continue to feed a discontented and rather violent nationalistic right-wing movement that
will continue to grow and spread its toxicity in Poland.

author by wage packetpublication date Fri Oct 26, 2007 17:47author address author phone Report this post to the editors

310,000 P/A. Georgie Porgie Pudding and Pie gets euro 268,000 and Merkel is bottom
of the list. How interesting, power attracts the mediocre but salary helps!
What will Husk get to sell the Poles down the river?

The uncomfortable tripartite - FF/Green/PD voted themselves lovely pay rises today
and 23 chairs at 10,000 euros each to spice up the day, this is set against
the worst general election ever and three leaders being booted out after the debacle.

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