PiS Anti-Migration Rally Faces Mixed Reactions

The news in Polish

1. zorganizować
   Ułożyć, zaaranżować coś, przygotować i przeprowadzić wydarzenie. ↩︎
2. demonstracja  (f.)
   Zgromadzenie osób publicznie wyrażających swoje poglądy na jakiś temat. ↩︎
3. imigracja  (f.)
   Proces osiedlania się ludzi w innym kraju niż kraj ich pochodzenia. ↩︎
4. wsparcie  (n.)
   Pomoc, udzielenie komuś pomocy lub poparcia. ↩︎
5. sprzeciw  (m.)
   Wyrażenie braku zgody na coś, opór wobec czegoś. ↩︎
6. przyciągnąć
   Spowodować, że ktoś zwróci uwagę na coś, zainteresować kogoś. ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: What was the purpose of the PiS rally in Warsaw?

Question 2: How was the public’s reaction to the PiS rally?

Vocabulary

Polish	English
zorganizować	organise
demonstracja  (f.)	demonstration
imigracja  (f.)	immigration
wsparcie  (n.)	support
sprzeciw  (m.)	objection
przyciągnąć	attract

Read the full story

The demonstration organised by the Law and Justice (PiS) party in Warsaw’s Castle Square sparked mixed responses and varying levels of enthusiasm. The rally, held against illegal immigration and coinciding with the party’s stance on the Mercosur agreement and issues of the rule of law, aimed to mobilise patriotic sentiments. However, it appeared to have fallen short of its anticipated impact.

Jarosław Kaczyński, the leader of PiS, had originally called for the protest to galvanise support and counteract narratives from political competitors. The PiS was particularly keen to challenge the emerging influence of the Confederation, a political opponent capitalising on migration issues. Despite this strategic push, several PiS members admitted the rally did not generate the excitement expected.

The timing of the event was criticised internally and externally, with some party members questioning the decision to hold a demonstration focused on migration when public interest in the issue had waned since earlier in the year. Additionally, a news leak suggesting Poland might soon be exempted from a European Union mandatory migrant relocation mechanism potentially undermined the protest’s core message.

Anna Pacześniak, a political scientist, characterised the demonstration as lacking effectiveness, both in turnout and message delivery. The leaked information about the possible exemption for Poland was seen as politically favourable for the government and possibly detracting from PiS’s messaging during the rally.

Reactions on social media were divided. PiS supporters saw the event as a necessary stance against the government’s perceived failings, while critics described the rally as a political fiasco. Prominent PiS figures, including Jacek Sasin and Mateusz Morawiecki, maintained a supportive front, emphasising the patriotism involved in opposing current governmental practices.

On the other side, opposition figures such as Sławomir Mentzen of the Confederation pointed to low attendance as a sign of reduced public backing, suggesting that PiS’s stance on immigration was not as compelling as they might have hoped.

The protest, leveraging themes of national sovereignty and anti-government sentiment, highlights ongoing political tensions in Poland. As the political landscape evolves, PiS aims to ensure significant issues, particularly around migration and national policy, remain at the forefront of public discourse as they prepare for upcoming electoral contests.

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