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Why do leaders flout lockdown rules? In Poland as in Britain, there seems to be one rule for the elite and another for everyone else

The leader of the Law and Justice party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, centre, leaves Wawel Castle. Credit: Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty

The leader of the Law and Justice party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, centre, leaves Wawel Castle. Credit: Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty


May 27, 2020   5 mins

Your pain is better than mine!’.  So runs the refrain of the number one song in Poland at the moment. It’s a song that has caused a ferocious political backlash. Sounding more like a folksy beer hall tune than protest anthem, it has proved an astonishing and immediate success, reaching number one in the influential Polish Radio Three charts last week and accumulating 10 million views on YouTube (no mean feat in a country of 40 million). But while the people are humming the tune, the ruling politicians certainly aren’t dancing to it.

The controversy stems from the song’s perceived criticism of Jarosław Kaczyński, Poland’s former Prime Minister and leader of the ruling Law and Justice Party. Although formally only a backbencher, Kaczyński is said to wield the true political power in his Party; to the point where many consider him to be the country’s unofficial head of state.

You alone can soothe your pain, everyone else is in trouble. Two limousines, or one, the entire cemetery just for you,” sings Kazik Staszewski to a jaunty accordion accompaniment. And by doing so he points to the epicentre of the public discontent.

When Poland began to take measures to limit the spread of coronavirus, it closed down a swathe of public places, including cemeteries. For the Polish, cemeteries are a national preoccupation. Family graves are tended on a weekly basis, even those several generations old. All Saints’ Day, or Zaduszki, is a particularly important national festival, when ancestors are honoured and graveyards lit up with countless rows of candles and miniature flags. The honouring of the dead is a keenly cherished cultural practice in a country which is 85% Catholic.

The closure of the cemeteries, therefore, has been one of the most significant — and stark — moments in the pandemic. It is largely unprecedented in this country, even though it has such a tragic history of disaster and disruption.

No wonder, when it emerged in April that Kaczyński had continued to visit cemeteries that were closed to the public, there was an outburst of anger from opposition politicians and on social media. One rule for him, another for everyone else.

Among those graves he broke the rules to visit were his mother’s, in Warsaw, and his twin brother’s, in Krakow. This brother, Lech Kaczyński had served as President until 2010, when he was killed in a plane crash in Smolensk in Russia en route to a commemoration of the Katyn Massacre. Jarosław’s graveside visit, on the anniversary of the air crash, is another instalment in one of the defining sagas of Polish nationhood, a permanent scar in an already bloody and tragic national history.

The grave itself is also problematic, since Lech was laid to rest in Wawel Castle — the historic resting place of Poland’s ancient kings and warriors. The honour, awarded to no other leader in recent memory, provoked questions about the nature of Poland’s democracy and protests from those who saw it as the inappropriate veneration of a controversial President. For many Poles, equating the former leader with their most revered historical figures proved too much in a society that is often deeply distrusting of politicians.

“Cemeteries closed as a result of the events of recent weeks, recent events. I look at the chains, I wipe away my tear, just like you, just like you. The gate opens, I can’t believe my eyes. Perhaps things are different after all. I run over, your heavies shout stop, because your pain is better than mine.”

The jaunty tones touch on some of the most complex and traumatic parts of Poland’s history. And the song’s rise to the top of the chart seems to indicate that it voices the public’s sense of unfairness and anger.

Poland isn’t the only country in which political leaders have been accused of failing to adhere to the coronavirus restrictions that they have put in place. However, it is a particularly sore subject here, given the polarised political landscape and the deep sense of distrust in elites that stems from years of foreign occupation and subsequent Communist rule.

While corruption has steadily dropped since Poland’s transitioned to a liberal market democracy, with Transparency International ranking it as the 41st least corrupt country in the world, Poles often perceive the issue to be one of the most important challenges facing their country. Corruption remains a key concern for the public and, since 2015, surveys show that Polish people believe it to be getting worse.

Poland’s political sphere is as polarised as it has ever been, with close to 20 parties represented in the Sejm, ranging from centre-left social democratic parties and those with links to the far Right, to the Confederation of the Polish Crown party that advocates the return of monarchy. These fractures, and the lack of clear consensus even among people who occupy the same space on the political compass, have taken its toll on Polish civil discourse. In many well-documented  cases, these political divisions spill over into every aspect of people’s lives and come between friends, colleagues and family members.

If Kazik Staszewski’s song crystallised a sense of unfairness and anti-government hostility when it was released, that was then amplified tenfold by the reaction to it. Shortly after ‘Your pain is better than mine’ was unveiled as the number one track, the station’s website was scrubbed of references to it and links and news were taken down. An acrimonious and public dispute broke out between the head of Radio Three, who insisted that the charts had been manipulated to elevate the song to the top spot, and the journalists and radio DJs who work on the show. The latter allege censorship, and three of the channel’s best-known DJs have now resigned over the issue, with silent protests held outside the building.

While the facts of the song’s removal will be the focus of debate and speculation in Poland, it has highlighted the way in which coronavirus has been a catalyst for social unease in the country. The fears of corruption and a political power-grab were doubtless amplified by the news that the Sejm has legislated for a Presidential Election to take place despite the pandemic.

The decision to go to the polls has drawn criticism from across the opposition parties. For many, it represents a cynical attempt by the governing Law and Justice Party to consolidate their vote at a time when Poles are looking for stability and reassurance. Certainly, when the decision to hold the poll was taken, the governing Law and Justice were polling at near-record highs, virtually guaranteeing a second term for their candidate, Andrzej Duda.

Duda’s lead has, however, slimmed since Rafał Trzaskowski, the popular Mayor of Warsaw was announced as the candidate for the liberal conversative Civic Platform party. Trzaskowski is seen both as the pro-European candidate and as a social liberal, having gone further than many of his rivals in his support for issues such as LGBT+ rights, which are still a source of controversy in Poland. It will be interesting to see what effect, if any the cemetery backlash has on his support.

In any case, it is a febrile time to ask the electorate what they think. Opposition parties, who hold a majority in the upper house, have succeeded in delaying the ballot until June at the earliest. Meanwhile, the election has also drawn criticism from the EU, who have threatened Poland with a suspension of its voting rights. Processes and transparency — it is a postal vote in its entirety — will obviously be scrutinised. But observers will also be keen to note whether there’s a candidate who could bring Polish people together at a time of adversity, and enable the country to emerge from the coronavirus crisis more united than before.

For a country with a rapidly growing economy, increasing prominence in the EU and NATO, and aspirations of once again becoming a European regional power, the stakes have never been higher. For Poland’s politicans, they will have to work harder than ever before to prove that they don’t regard their pain as better than anyone else’s.


Gabriel Gavin is a Moscow-based journalist who has covered Eastern Europe for many publications.

GabrielCSGavin

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Cheryl Jones
Cheryl Jones
4 years ago

There are different rules because they have been chosen to govern and to lead which also means expected to take crap, risk your personal safety and relinquish your private life in a way the hoi polloi are not. There are also a lot fewer of them than the millions of us. I guess with power comes great responsibility – but also great perks.

Fraser Bailey
Fraser Bailey
4 years ago

‘Meanwhile, the election has also drawn criticism from the EU, who have threatened Poland with a suspension of its voting rights.’

The EU criticising the holding of an election. Who’d have thought it?

That aside, it is disappointing to see the Law and Justice Party exposed in this way. It simply seems to be an ineradicable trait of those who seek or gain power. One rule for them, another rule for everyone else.

Dave X
Dave X
4 years ago
Reply to  Fraser Bailey

The official reason given by the Polish Opposition was … wait for it … “killer envelopes” !! Catching Covid-19 by mail. You couldn’t make it up. City Hall in Opposition-held areas refused to supply elector details, so the election didn’t go ahead within the constitutional timeframe. They are now seeking to delay the election further, to trigger a constitutional crisis.

Mark Corby
Mark Corby
4 years ago
Reply to  Fraser Bailey

It was ever thus.

Dave X
Dave X
4 years ago

Poland is a mafia state, with the mafia supported by the international community.
Starting point: $20 billion fuel import scam arranged with Putin in recent years – tariff free. But he’s small beer compared with the West. First the political front men …
In 1989 Communism fell, apparently. Or rather it mutated, with foreign help.
Don’t believe me, let’s look at the presidents of post 1989 Poland:
General Jaruzelski – bloodthirsty Communist dictator! (Started off well, eh?)
WaÅ‚Ä™sa – proven Communist secret agent (extensive evidence written in his own hand)
Kwasniewski – Communist minister, son of a non-Polish KGB officer
Lech Kaczynski – anti-Communist, assassinated 2010
Komorowski – held a fake job in the 1980s, unknown real employment, goes hunting with Commie era secret police officers, son of a wartime Soviet agent
Duda – anti-Communist.
West Germany got rid of most East German judges when the Berlin Wall came down. In Poland the judges stayed in place. As did the legacy state media – though we had two new stations set up by (i) two people from the Communist secret service (TVN) and (ii) a Communist secret police agent (Polsat). The printed media was largely shared between old Commies and German Big Business.
Property expropriated during Communist times was NOT returned. Instead most of it was sold for pennies to the families of leading Communists.
Starting to see a pattern?
Oligopolies were arranged for foreign Big Business – this was the big trade-off. Germany made approx. EUR 200 billion from oligopolistic markets in Poland 2004-2014. Paying very little tax.
Next point.
Pre-2015 Poland had very little social security (no child benefit!!!) but had enormous budget deficits and truly humungous VAT scams (30+% VAT gap, on purpose). Post 2015 the budget deficits more or less disappeared, while social security spending rocketed. The rest was accounted for by honest government.
Final remark on chief justices.
The outgoing chief justice Gersdorf was a lifelong Communist, supporting Soviet tyranny until the end. She became in-house at TVN (see above). Her husband headed the Constitutional Court. Her son plays an important role in appointing judges – a role previously played by his father. She served 8 years on the bench. The new chief justice has had 25 years on the bench.

Dave X
Dave X
4 years ago

Transparency International reckons that slashing the VAT gap from 30+% to 12% is symptomatic of corruption! That the stopping of a huge, open and unlawful fuel importation scheme run by the Kremlin-directed mafia that netted Putin $20 billion is equally symptomatic of corruption! That undoing a billion euros’ worth of unlawful property deals is dishonest!
Pre-2015 Poland had a Dickensian social security system, devoid of basic things like child benefit. Since then, social spending has rocketed while the budget deficit has fallen dramatically due to honesty in public finances. It would have been just above zero in 2020 had it not been for Covid-19. Where did the money come from? Taxes went down slightly …
So, how could TI get it so wrong? Poland was ranked 26th in terms of corruption in 2016 … now 41st and falling sharply!

redbowlgreenbowl
redbowlgreenbowl
4 years ago

They flout the rules because they know its a bunch BS.

Dave X
Dave X
4 years ago

Cemeteries could be visited, but permission had to be sought first. In this case permission was sought.
“when [President Lech Kaczynski] was killed in a plane crash”
According to world-renowned flight crash investigator Frank Taylor there were two bombs on board. Find his Sky News interview on Youtube. The interim report of a Danish-led investigation provides the supporting details. Passenger door 2 blew out before the plane crashed – together with human intestines.

Dave X
Dave X
4 years ago

“The decision to go to the polls” was dictated by the constitution.
The president has a fixed term of office. The election had to take place by May 23rd, but the Opposition stopped it happening by refusing to supply elector mailing details in the areas they held – after the Opposition-held Senate delayed emergency postal voting legislation in order to frustrate the holding of the election. The Senate is once again engaging in delaying tactics, seeking to stop any election being held – in order to trigger a constitutional crisis.
Just imagine if Trump frustrated the holding of the presidential election in America … because that’s what the “pro-democracy” EU-backed Opposition is attempting in Poland. Back in December 2016 the same Opposition occupied Parliament for a month. In reaction, the government just turned off the heating.

Dave X
Dave X
4 years ago

Please delete – I see my other comments have passed moderation. I have posted too much 🙂

Dave X
Dave X
4 years ago

Please delete – I see my other comments have passed moderation. I have posted too much 🙂

Behemoth Cat
Behemoth Cat
4 years ago

Funny how in the article far left is called centre-left, and conservative party similar to USA Republicans – far right 😉

Elections – due by constitution. Difficult due to the pandemic. Ruling party wanted to push through because of polls. “Total opposition” – as they call themselves – said no because no.

Simple solution suggested by conservatives – call State of Emergency (in this case – natural disaster), which legally, according to constitution, delays elections – due 3 months after calling it back. Simple, logical, legal.

Fights between current and previous ruling parties left vacuum – there is no proper legal framework for elections now. So even for Supreme Court it’s a lot of fun – which unlawful solution call the law.

techfell
techfell
4 years ago

One rule for them, another rule of us; it’s a common cry, and quite true.

In today’s news we have the story of an MP who went to see a journalist who was holding a barbecue. He claims he didn’t know this and left after eating just half a sausage. Maybe he’s lying, maybe not. But one thing is for sure, nobody is interested in the fact the journalists were having a party.

The theory goes that responsible people must be held to higher standards, lest they move on to more serious stuff like taking bribes.

But I think that if we criticise every last speck of dust on the politicians collar then we actually inoculate society against political misdemeanours; we should save our outrage for serious breaches of trust and view perks of job as a fact of life.

Homer Simpson
Homer Simpson
4 years ago

Political leaders have exaggerated the threat in order to over-compensate. They think that ‘civilians’ are too thick to apply nuance, so they feel they have to scare people so that they follow the rules “in case they kill grandma”. However, they don’t follow the rules themselves because they know the rules are draconian and arbitrary, but do not actually reflect the genuine personal risk to the vast majority of the country.