1/
A prominent foreign policy expert of the German Greens (usually more firm on EU rule of law issues than CDU or SPD) urges lenience towards PiS.
What is interesting, is the explanation:
A prominent foreign policy expert of the German Greens (usually more firm on EU rule of law issues than CDU or SPD) urges lenience towards PiS.
What is interesting, is the explanation:
https://twitter.com/bueti/status/1453321722908839939
2/
i) He loves Poland
ii) kind of bad conscience because Germany has ignored valid Polish interest lately (e.g. North Stream II).
Now this is kind of puzzling.
i) If you love Poland, that should all the more be a motivation to protect its democratic polity & Poles‘ liberty.
i) He loves Poland
ii) kind of bad conscience because Germany has ignored valid Polish interest lately (e.g. North Stream II).
Now this is kind of puzzling.
i) If you love Poland, that should all the more be a motivation to protect its democratic polity & Poles‘ liberty.
3/
ii) Yes, Merkel‘s gov *has* acted pretty crudely towards Polish interests, but we all know this has exactly nothing to do with PiS‘ push to subdue the legislative branch of power in Poland.
„I‘m angry at Germany so I reject EU law“ makes no sense.
Why connect the two?
ii) Yes, Merkel‘s gov *has* acted pretty crudely towards Polish interests, but we all know this has exactly nothing to do with PiS‘ push to subdue the legislative branch of power in Poland.
„I‘m angry at Germany so I reject EU law“ makes no sense.
Why connect the two?
4/
One also generally feels with Western thinkers a fear, that escalating such tensions would enable the aggressor to drive an identity/hate campaign targeted at the EU, and thereby further entrench themselves and/or decrease pro-EU sentiment.
I believe this is a miscalculation.
One also generally feels with Western thinkers a fear, that escalating such tensions would enable the aggressor to drive an identity/hate campaign targeted at the EU, and thereby further entrench themselves and/or decrease pro-EU sentiment.
I believe this is a miscalculation.
5/
Well, the campaigns are there anyway.
However, even Orban went at great lengths to create the straw enemy of *Brussels* - notably as opposed to the European Union as such.
Why - bc he knew the EU as a whole is not a good target: membership is non-negotiable for the populace
Well, the campaigns are there anyway.
However, even Orban went at great lengths to create the straw enemy of *Brussels* - notably as opposed to the European Union as such.
Why - bc he knew the EU as a whole is not a good target: membership is non-negotiable for the populace
6/
Observe how similarly keen the Polish government is now, to prevent any narrative which connects the rule of law-conflict to the country‘s EU membership. Morawiecki never tires to stress there is no plan for a Polexit and Polexit is not an option.
Observe how similarly keen the Polish government is now, to prevent any narrative which connects the rule of law-conflict to the country‘s EU membership. Morawiecki never tires to stress there is no plan for a Polexit and Polexit is not an option.
7/
The dynamics is in fact the opposite: it is Orban and Kaczynski regularly making a fool of the EU that strengthens them and the EU regularly failing to implement its own laws and protect values diminishes its appeal. No one takes an entity seriously that accepts eternal abuse.
The dynamics is in fact the opposite: it is Orban and Kaczynski regularly making a fool of the EU that strengthens them and the EU regularly failing to implement its own laws and protect values diminishes its appeal. No one takes an entity seriously that accepts eternal abuse.
8/
If the EU finally steps up and shows some resolve, that will play into the hands of the democratic oppositions - as it should.
If a debate on Polexit and Huxit erupts as a result - it will clearly hurt the aggressors. They are avoiding it today not without reason.
If the EU finally steps up and shows some resolve, that will play into the hands of the democratic oppositions - as it should.
If a debate on Polexit and Huxit erupts as a result - it will clearly hurt the aggressors. They are avoiding it today not without reason.
9/
Decision makers in Western capitals should realize that this is a case where the legally correct thing to do is the morally right thing to do, and incidentally also the practical and useful thing to do.
Just do it.
End
Decision makers in Western capitals should realize that this is a case where the legally correct thing to do is the morally right thing to do, and incidentally also the practical and useful thing to do.
Just do it.
End
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