Poland’s PiS ahead in local elections, but not in political control – POLITICO

Poland’s TVN television estimated that Civic Platform won in 10 regions, up from seven in 2018, and PiS was in the lead in six. However, other parties making up the incumbent ruling coalition are likely to have won enough regional seats to be able to control most regional assemblies, which are key bodies for managing … Read more

Poland launches Pegasus spyware probe – POLITICO

Other top officials facing a summons to appear before the commission include former PiS Prime Minister Beata Szydło, former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro, and former PiS MPs Mariusz Kamiński and Maciej Wąsik — who headed the interior ministry and were recently pardoned by President Andrzej Duda following their conviction in an old corruption case. Kamiński … Read more

Poland’s Duda pledges to pardon jailed MPs – POLITICO

Polish President Andrzej Duda said Thursday that he would pardon two members of parliament facing two years in prison for abuse of power — a significant retreat on his earlier position that a pardon he issued in 2015 was enough to spare them from jail. He said he made the decision after meeting with the … Read more

Polish police arrest MPs in presidential palace as rule-of-law battle heats up – POLITICO

In a dramatic escalation of Poland’s battle to restore rule of law, the police entered the country’s presidential palace on Tuesday evening and took two MPs into custody who had been hiding under the protection of President Andrzej Duda after being sentenced to prison terms for abuse of power. The arrests cut to the heart … Read more

Polish president vows to veto spending bill in massive clash with new government – POLITICO

Press play to listen to this article Voiced by artificial intelligence. Polish President Andrzej Duda said on Saturday he would veto the government’s amended 2024 spending bill and propose his own, in a challenge to new Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. In a post on the social media platform X, Duda cited the bill’s funding … Read more

Polish right-wing MP douses Jewish menorah with fire extinguisher – POLITICO

Grzegorz Braun, an antisemitic lawmaker from the right-wing Confederation party, on Tuesday doused the candles in a Hanukkah menorah in the Polish parliament with a fire extinguisher — denouncing the Jewish ritual as “Satanic.” “Racist motives have been attributed to me here, meanwhile, I am just restoring a state of normalcy and balance here, putting … Read more