Home » The paradox of the crisis between Poland and the European Union – Pierre Haski

The paradox of the crisis between Poland and the European Union – Pierre Haski

by admin

22 October 2021 10:07

There is a great paradox in the crisis with Poland that ended up at the center of the debate during the European Council on 21 October: there is a lot of talk about the possibility of a Polexit similar to Brexit, but the parallel does not work and among other things hinders the understanding what is really going on.

In 2016, the British voted to leave the European Union, a decision that has now become effective after countless ups and downs. In Poland the scenario is different: the government absolutely does not want to leave the Union, and if a referendum were held, all the polls indicate that the majority of Poles would certainly not choose Polexit.

The Polish government, on the other hand, would like to change the Union from within. The decision taken on 7 October by the Polish constitutional court, at the origin of the current crisis, does not push Poland out of the EU, but distances it from the spirit and the community rules, without however forcing a process of withdrawal. That’s a huge difference from the UK referendum.

However, the solution to the crisis is difficult to find. The British weekly The Economist does well to point out that “Poland is a problem for the European Union, precisely because it does not want to leave the club”.

The crisis triggered by the decision of the Polish court has a double nature: first of all it is linked to the attacks carried out against the independence of the judiciary in Poland, already at the center of a dispute with Brussels, and secondly it derives from the ruling that denies priority of European law over national law.

See also  Why Zelenskii speaks again of diplomacy - Pierre Haski

Eventually there will be no Polexit, because the Poles don’t want it

In this way, Poland attacks a cardinal principle of European construction and above all of the single market, which cannot work if the rules are not the same in all countries. Other similar courts, such as the German one, have issued discordant rulings on the issue, but none have dared as much as the Polish one.

This explains the hostility of the reactions of the heads of state and government, who on 21 October in Brussels showed themselves intransigent with respect to a pillar of a construction based on law that would not exist if everyone went their own way.

The European Union has its own dramaturgy that we have known for decades, characterized by interminable summits, from those to establish the budget to that of last year to agree on the postcovid recovery plan.

commercial break

On October 19, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki was in the European Parliament, where he denounced the “blackmail” and “paternalistic attitude” reserved for his country. On 21 October Morawiecki began the day with an unexpected meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and later with other leaders. In this circle with no equivalent in the world, the thorniest problems are faced with behind-the-scenes negotiations.

Eventually there will be no Polexit, because the Poles don’t want it. At the same time, the populist government in Warsaw does not have the means to change the EU from within.

See also  Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Russia is willing to cooperate with the European Union to avoid rising energy prices|Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs|EU|Russia_Sina Technology_Sina

Poland, among other things, needs to stop this conflict in order to cash in on the 57 billion euro check for the recovery plan. Maybe it is really a “blackmail”, but even ignoring the common rules is not an appreciable behavior. The balance of power, this time, does not appear favorable to Poland.

(Translation by Andrea Sparacino)

.

You may also like

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More

Privacy & Cookies Policy