The Polkast

In the latest episode of The Polkast, we dive into the evolving story of Poland’s left-wing party, Razem. Our guest is Paweł Jasiński, a city councillor in Cieszyn and a Razem member.

Join us as we unpack the party’s formation in 2015, its rise as a bold voice for progressive politics, and the recent challenges that have shaken its foundation.

Why did Razem part ways with its coalition partners? Why did Magda Biejat leave the party? What’s next for Razem after these pivotal changes? Tune in to explore the context, the conflicts, and the possibilities ahead for progressive politics in Poland.

Note: This episode was recorded at the end of November, before the internal election results for Razem’s new leadership were announced. The new co-leaders are Aleksandra Owca and Adrian Zandberg.

We're back!

It’s been a year since Poland’s historic election which ousted PiS, and installed a coalition government led by Donald Tusk. A year on, where is Poland at?

In the first episode of season 3, we look back on the hopes and promises that led a record-breaking number of voters to go to the polls last year. How many of them have materialised?

Tune in to learn more about the new government’s record so far on issues including abortion, migration, LGBTQ+ rights, the economy and much more (spoiler alert: it’s not great).

We’ll also take a quick look at the state of the left and social movements - although more detailed episodes on these topics are coming soon!

***

In this episode, we reference a report by Fundacja Ocalenie on the humanitarian crisis on the border with Belarus. It's available, in English, here:

ENG_No-Safe-Passage.-Migrants-deaths-at-the-European-Union-Belarusian-border.pdf (ocalenie.org.pl)

The 15 October general election finally ended Law and Justice's (PiS) parliamentary majority, allowing the “democratic opposition” to form a government. The results were met with celebratory headlines across Europe, but the picture is more complex.

As the new coalition government takes shape, we’re taking a closer look at what it might mean for Poland. In this episode, Ewa and Ana analyse the contents of the coalition agreement, and what’s missing from it. 

We also discuss the split that has emerged on the Polish left, the risks and opportunities it faces, and what an effective left strategy could look like under a centre-right, Tusk-led administration.

LINKS:

'PiS off! But Tusk’s coalition is a Faustian pact for the Polish left' - Ewa’s article in Red Pepper: https://www.redpepper.org.uk/global-politics/europe/pis-off-but-tusks-coalition-is-a-faustian-pact-for-the-polish-left/

'Coalition defeats hard right in Poland' - Ana’s article in Chartist: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz1yMGNOL4w/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Już 15 października odbędą się w Polsce wybory do Sejmu i Senatu. W głosowaniu wybranych zostanie 460 posłów i 100 senatorów na czteroletnią kadencję. Na ten dzień zaplanowano również referendum ogólnokrajowe.

W tym odcinku rozmawiamy z Małgorzatą Hallewell – Polką, która współtworzy inicjatywę „Polonia Głosuje” i angażuje się w działania profrekwencyjne wśród Polonii. Usłyszycie między innymi o tym jakie trzeba podjąć kroki aby zagłosować mieszkając za granicą, z jakimi utrudnieniami spotyka się Polonia i dlaczego w tych wyborach istnieje poważne ryzyko, że oddane przez Polonię głosy przepadną.

Niezbędne linki:

WAŻNE: Rejestracji trzeba dokonać do 10 października 2023 r.

Dodatkowe informacje:

On the 15th of October, Poland is facing a key election. After eight years of ultra-conservative governments and deepening authoritarianism, there’s finally a glimmer of hope for progressive change - but also a real risk of the country shifting even further to the right. Which direction will Poland choose?

In this episode, we explain the different political parties contesting the election and discuss some of the key topics that have emerged in their campaigns. We also analyse their strategies, examine their appeal - and consider potential outcomes and possible coalitions.

Why is TikTok so influential in this election? Have events like the invasion of Ukraine and the cost of living crisis influenced its themes? And what’s the deal with the referendum happening alongside it?

To find out, tune in to our episode with Guardian journalist Weronika Strzyżyńska. [Episode recorded on 26.08)

****

External links:

Polonia Głosuje - an excellent campaign mobilising Poles in the UK to vote, with plenty of useful resources (in Polish)

instagram.com/poloniaglosuje

Ana’s article in Novara Media about anti-government protest and debates around the opposition’s strategy (from June)

https://novaramedia.com/2023/06/08/donald-tusk-gives-polish-leftists-the-ick-they-might-have-to-get-over-it/

Poll tracker

https://www.politico.eu/europe-poll-of-polls/poland/

Weronika’s work in the Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/profile/weronika-strzyzynska

The Solidarność movement is one of several events in Polish history that nearly every political tendency tries to claim as their own.

Should it be seen primarily as a workers’ struggle? A pro-democracy uprising? A national liberation movement? Or a movement for capitalism? What is the legacy of Solidarność - and who in Poland has got the strongest claim to it? 

In this episode, we analyse the story of Solidarność and discuss how it should be interpreted, with Polish historian and economist Miłosz Wiatrowski-Bujacz. We also use it as a springboard for a conversation about Polish society today, and the forces and ideologies that shape it.

Miłosz Wiatrowski-Bujacz is a PhD candidate at Yale, researching Solidarność, as well as a writer and podcaster commenting on contemporary Polish politics. We strongly recommend following his Instagram (in Polish): @milosz.miedzy.innymi

Other resources:

Jacek Kuron and Karol Modzelewski, Open letter to the Party

Mark Osborn “Solidarność” The workers Movement and the Rebirth of Poland in 1980-81

Karol Modzelewski Zajeździmy kobyłę historii. Wyznania poobijanego jeźdźca 

Tony Judt with Timothy Snyder, Thinking the Twentieth Century: Intellectuals and Politics in the Twentieth Century. 

Jan Kubik, The Power of Symbols Against the Symbols of Power: The Rise of Solidarity and the Fall of State Socialism in Poland
Miłosz Wiatrowski Niespełniona obietnica podmiotowości. Znaczenie „Solidarności” po 40 latach https://kulturaliberalna.pl/2020/08/28/wiatrowski-solidarnosc-40-lat/

The slogan “housing is a right, not a commodity” has risen into prominence in Poland, sparking a great deal of debate. But what does the right to housing mean in the Polish context?

In this episode, we talk about the housing situation in Poland: its history and how it changed in the era of transformation; current problems and the solutions proposed by different sides of the political spectrum.

Is increasing home ownership the right goal, or can renting be the answer? How do we solve a problem like patodeweloperka (“pathological developments”)? What’s the state of the Polish housing movement? And why was activist Jolanta Brzeska murdered in 2011?

To tackle these questions, we spoke to Barbara Audycka - a sociologist, specialist in housing policy and a lecturer in interdisciplinary Urban Studies at the University of Warsaw.

In today’s episode, we’re discussing a topic that’s impossible to escape when talking about Poland: religion. It’s come up during many of our previous episodes, so it’s time to fill in the gaps.

How did religion come to play such a big role in Polish public life? Is Poland following Western Europe and starting to secularise? What does the process of leaving the Catholic Church look like? And what's the future of the Polish Church?

To find out, we invited Katarzyna Zielińska, Associate Professor at the Institute of Sociology at Jagiellonian University in Cracow. Her research focuses on on religion, gender and democracy in Poland.

We are also discussing our personal experiences of growing up in the Church in 2000s Poland, and leaving it behind.

***More resources***

Poles face a crisis of faith: not in God, but in the Catholic Church - article in Notes from Poland

https://notesfrompoland.com/2023/04/18/poles-face-a-crisis-of-faith-not-in-god-but-in-the-catholic-church/

Też Odchodzę - a podcast (in Polish) about the experience of leaving the Catholic Church

https://open.spotify.com/show/6gHvlkcwjIam9ZQ88TJ2Of?si=4MGvhnwwRK6ZqrNojefwHw

“Poland lies nowhere, it is a universal idea”: Maria Janion, uncanny Slavdom and Polish identity

Sacred and Secular: Religion and Politics Worldwide - book by Pippa Norris and Ronald Inglehart

Same Plusy - apostasy advice (in Polish)

It’s normally the right accusing the left of being easily offended and engaging in cancel culture. But in Poland, artists can be arrested and face trial purely for offending someone’s feelings…

In the first episode of season 2, we discuss art and censorship in today’s Poland. We’ll talk about Poland’s blasphemy/'insult laws' and their use by the current government, the takeover of arts institutions by the ruling coalition - but also about arts-based resistance.

To explore these topics, we’re speaking to the brilliant Marta Zboralska - art historian and lecturer at Oxford University.

Whether you’re interested in debates around free speech and censorship, or simply want to learn more about contemporary Polish art and artists - you’ll want to check out this one.

Further reading:

💥 Goodbye to 2022! In our final episode of the year, we look back on what Poland’s been up to over the past 12 months.

How has the war in Ukraine affected Polish society? What’s been the impact of soaring inflation on the political scene? What were some of our cultural highlights and lowlights of the passing year - and how did Poland do in the World Cup?

Hear us chat about these questions and more. We’ve also got some announcements to make about the future of The Polkast - listen to the end to find out more about our plans and ideas for the year ahead.

Enjoy and see you in 2023! 🎆