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Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Walesa calls for early elections in Poland, says democracy in danger

Walesa calls for early elections in Poland, says democracy in danger



 
Poland’s lower chamber of parliament passed a constitutional court law amendment that the supreme court and activists said would undermine the separation of powers and paralyse the constitutional court.
Critics say the new law will paralyze the court and make it unable to act as a check on the power of the country’s new right-wing government.
The vote, which took place late in the evening after a heated debate, came as Poland comes under increasing criticism internationally and at home for its attempts to neutralize the court. Large street protests supporting both sides have taken place in past weeks, with opponents saying the move to take control of the nation’s top legislative court is an attack on the country’s democratic foundations.
Reacting to the new law, Lech Walesa, leader of the Solidarity trade union that ended communism in Poland, said on Wednesday democracy was at risk and called for a referendum to force the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party to hold an early election.
Though Walesa has no say in government decisions, he does have influence on public opinion in Poland and his remarks coincide with a growing unease among Poles unhappy with PiS’ policies, with critics say are undermining democracy.
“I’m ashamed to travel abroad. This government acts against Poland, against our achievements, freedom, democracy, not to mentioning the fact that it ridicules us in the world,” Walesa said.
After the conservative Law and Justice took power last month it found itself in control of both houses of parliament in addition to the presidency. That left the Constitutional Tribunal as one of the only state organs that could check its power. The party tried to quickly stack the court with party loyalties before it moved onto the disputed legislation, which opponents see an attack on an independent judiciary.
The ruling party says it wants to reform a court that is filled with appointees made by the past government. It claims its victory in October elections is a mandate by voters to make deep changes to the country. The ruling party and its supporters also point out that the last government made two premature and illegal appointments to the court.
After eight years of rule by a pro-market and pro-European Union party, those changes involve greater state spending on the economically disadvantaged and pushing for other deep change consistent with Law and Justice’s Catholic, nationalistic and anti-migrant agenda.
The laws then passed easily, 235 to 181, thanks to the Law and Justice’s majority control of the lower house.
The package of bills goes next to the Senate, where it is expected to get a quick OK. It can also expect the support of President Andrzej Duda, a party loyalist.
One provision requires that cases be adjudicated by a panel of at least 13 of the court’s 15 judges. That is a change from the current practice, which allows a much smaller number of judges to rule on each case. Civil rights groups say that will allow the court — which already faces a backlog of some 200 cases — to take up far fewer cases, slowing down its work considerably.
Another provision will require a two-thirds majority for rulings to be valid, rather than the current simple majority. Critics say that it will be make it extremely difficult for the court to reach valid rulings on controversial issues — and essentially unable to block some disputed legislation.
(with Reuters, AP, AFP)

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