By William Ryan, for Eurasia Business News, October 1, 2023

On October 1, 2023, around a million people gathered in Warsaw to protest against Poland’s conservative government, two weeks ahead of a tight election. 

The rally was organized by the opposition parties, including the liberal Civic Platform. The protesters voiced their anger at officials who they say have eroded democratic norms and created fears that the nation is following Hungary and Turkey down the path to autocracy. 

The rally was one of the largest demonstrations in Poland since the fall of communism in 1989. The protesters were also concerned about issues such as inflation, costs of living, and rights for women and LGBT. The government blames Russia’s war in Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic for the double-digit inflation in the country, but economists say its spending contribute to inflation. The rally was seen as an attempt by the opposition to swing the election in their favor.

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Poland’s annual inflation rate eased for a seventh consecutive month to 8.2% in September 2023, the lowest since November 2021, from 10.1% in the previous month. Poland’s average inflation rate for 2022 was 14.43%, a 9.37% increase from 2021.

Since taking power in 2015, a coalition led by the populist, socially conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party has exerted significant political influence over Poland.

Poland is holding parliamentary elections in October 2023, and the race is shaping up to be very tight. Polls from July 2023 gave the populist, socially conservative Law and Justice Party (PiS), which heads the United Right Coalition, a 5 percent lead over Civic Platform, the main opposition party.

The government is accused of politicizing the judiciary, turning public media into a party mouthpiece, using state assets to further its grip on power. PiS says its objective is to make courts more effective and the economy fairer, and that all it does is defend Poland’s interests.

The election will determine Poland’s stance on the economy, state intervention, relations with the EU, and views on abortion, among other issues.

Poland’s European allies are in a tricky position as they need Poland’s full commitment and support, but they also need to confront the fact that its government continues to push ahead with what many in the EU see as attacks on judicial independence, press freedom, democratic principles, and the rights of women and minorities.

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