Page 47 - Bloomberg Businessweek-October 29, 2018

◼ POLITICS Bloomberg Businessweek October 29, 2018

Poland, backed by Hungary and other nation- railed against, rather than the politician criticizing
alist allies, has led the line in what’s become foreign companies for “colonizing” his country.
Europe’s biggest standoff between East and West In the recordings, Morawiecki was heard making
since the Berlin Wall fell almost three decades ago. expletive-laden remarks about having to fawn over
Whether it’s a temporary setback or a sea change Jews and rich foreigners to get their money. He
remains to be seen, but alarm bells have gone off for suggested Poles one day might be grateful to “work
the leaders of “Poland First” patriotism that turned for a bowl of rice.” He also joked about serious
the country into a prototype for Donald Trump. At injuries to a Formula One racing driver who was
party headquarters in Warsaw the day of the vote, about to be sponsored by his bank. Morawiecki
Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the Law and Justice leader and apologized, though he said the remarks’ publication
Poland’s populist-in-chief, said the campaign for by f oreign-owned media was an attempt to smear
reelection to government next year has started and him. The party redoubled its efforts with ads depict-
“we will have to work, work, and work again.” ing a Poland that allowed Muslim immigrants.
The party won a resounding victory when com- “It’s a clear verdict that the populist revolution
pared with local elections in 2014, based on the is getting weaker,” says Marcin Zaborowski, senior
results tallied by Oct. 24. It took regions it didn’t associate at Visegrad Insight, a journal of analysis
control before. But it was clear the share of the vote and opinion focusing on central Europe. “It’s also a
was down from 2015, when the numbers swept it
to power with a record parliamentary majority.
Questions are being asked why it couldn’t build on
that success. “People realized that Law and Justice
isn’t immortal,” says Joanna Mucha, a lawmaker for
the opposition Civic Platform group.
Until now, nothing seemed to faze the leadership.
A protracted impasse with the EU over a power grab

42 of the independent judiciary and public media and
a confrontation with the U.S. and Israel over a law
making it a criminal offense to suggest Poland played
any role in the Holocaust were met with kudos
among supporters. They bought into the narrative
of a plucky government standing up for their nation
against what the party calls “anti-Polonism.” In
April, as relations with allies deteriorated, Law and
Justice still commanded an average lead in the polls
that was wider than its sweeping victory in 2015. It personal defeat for Morawiecki, who has been a bet- ▲ Morawiecki
helped that the economy was—and still is—growing ter, modern face of the party, geared to more cen-
at a healthy clip. That’s because Poland is the biggest trist voters, and this bid has failed. The result will
net recipient of EU aid, and consumers are enjoying weaken the position of Morawiecki within the party.”
Law and Justice’s increased spending on social Publicly, Kaczynski is standing by his protégé,
welfare such as subsidies for families. opting for a Trumpian refrain. “We’ll have to work
Then came events tougher to manage for so there’s much less of what is now called fake
Kaczynski, 69, and Mateusz Morawiecki, 50, the news,” he said after the vote, “so that everyone
prime minister he hand-picked in December as makes decisions according to what they think, but
the slick, English-speaking face of the new Poland. also so that every Pole knows that during these four
Two days before Poles cast their ballots, the years Poland has moved forward, very strongly.”
European Court of Justice ordered Poland to All sides will have an opportunity for competing
immediately suspend its Supreme Court overhaul, shows of strength next month: Nov. 11 is Poland’s
raising concerns among Polish voters about Independence Day, marking when the nation was MATEUSZ WLODARCZYK/NUR PHOTO/SIPA/AP PHOTO; SERGIO LIMA/BLOOMBERG (4)
whether Law and Justice is covertly pushing the reconstituted at the end of World War II after cen-
country out of the EU. That came after Morawiecki turies of foreign rule. It will be more than just the
had to fend off a deepening scandal over recordings usual harnessing of the country’s nationalist forces.
of private conversations in Warsaw restaurants five �Wojciech Moskwa and Marek Strzelecki
years ago when he ran the Polish business of Banco
Santander SA. The comments reminded voters of THE BOTTOM LINE A rebuke from the EU and a leaked
conversation combine to prevent the populist Law and Justice
his past as one of the “elites” Law and Justice has party from claiming an even larger political mandate.