UPDATE: Poland Alert, Supreme Ct. Purged, People in Streets, Warsaw

[appalachiablue]

Last edited Tue Jul 3, 2018, 08:30 PM - Edit history (1)

SEE NYT Update Below-

Think Progress, July 3, 2018

Autocracy marches on in Eastern Europe. Poland is on the verge of removing nearly 40 percent of its Supreme Court judges, as a new law, which requires judges to retire at the age of 65 and also expands the Supreme Court significantly, is set to comes into force.

The law, introduced earlier this year by the governing Law and Justice Party (PiS), would not only force the instant dismissal of 27 of the 74 judges, but would also expand the court to 120 judges. In effect, this would give PiS power to reshape two-thirds of the country's Supreme Court.

The Polish government has insisted that its changes seek to reform a corrupt and inefficient system, with judges that date back to the Communist era. Supreme Court judges, however, say that it signals Poland's slow descent into authoritarianism.

"I don't want to say that I am terrified," Supreme Court Judge Malgorzata Gersdorf told The New York Times. "But without a doubt this is not a direction I would like to go in...I think it destroys what has been built over the last 25 years." The European Union has accused the Polish government of enacting laws that "interfere significantly" in the judiciary, and has given it one month to answer its concerns...

The judicial reforms are just the latest examples of Poland's worrying slide towards far-right authoritarianism. Under party head Jarosław Kaczyński and Prime Minister Beata Szydło, PiS has moved not only to consolidate control over the judiciary but the media as well. The party also tried to institute a near-total ban on abortion, but that failed after thousands took the streets in opposition -- although PiS did curtail access to emergency contraception.

The far-right stance of PiS has also made it extremely popular with white supremacists. In November, more than 60,000 people gathered, including racists from Slovakia, Hungary, and Spain, for a far-right march with messages like "Europe Will Be White" and "Clean Blood."...

More: https://thinkprogress.org/poland-forcing-supreme-court-judges-out-31a56ff210ea/

*Good comments, https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142100541

July 2, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/02/polands-supreme-court-constitutional-crisis-comes-to-a-head



WARSAW, POLAND - JULY 22: Thousands of Polish citizens attend a protest against a trio of approved bills due to their suspicions on putting in danger the independence of the judiciary in front of the Supreme Court, Warsaw in Poland in July 22, 2017. European Union already treat the polish government of triggering the Article 7, meaning that Poland will loose its voting rights in Brussels.

[CrispyQ]

1. From my other post:

It's hard not to see a more dystopian path for humanity than utopian, as authoritarianism creeps across the globe. We're on an ecological brink, which even though many individuals in power deny is happening, as a collective, we see it in the world around us, we sense it, the doom of billions of us as we continue unabated down this unsustainable path. Climate change is the game changer & the (mostly) white men who are fighting so hard to retain their power, who think they are so superior to the rest of us, are a big reason we are where we are. This could be a really ugly century.

[appalachiablue]

2. Agree & thanks for re-commenting. Things are getting weird, month by month..

Growing movements against democratic principles, progress, the Enlightenment and liberalism.

Blessings and the best to the courageous Polish protestors opposing these authoritarian policies now.

[appalachiablue]

3. NYT Update: Poland Purges Supreme Court, And People Take to Streets, Tues. July 3, 8PM

WARSAW — Poland’s government carried out a sweeping purge of the Supreme Court on Tuesday night, eroding the judiciary’s independence, escalating a confrontation with the European Union over the rule of law and further dividing this nation. Tens of thousands took to the streets in protest.

Poland was once a beacon for countries struggling to escape the yoke of the Soviet Union and embrace Western democracy. But it is now in league with neighboring nations, like Hungary, whose leaders have turned to authoritarian means to tighten their grip on power, presenting a grave challenge to a European Union already grappling with nationalist, populist and anti-immigrant movements.

The forced retirements of up to 27 of 72 Supreme Court justices, including the top judge, and the creation of a judicial disciplinary chamber were the latest in a series of steps by Poland’s right-wing Law and Justice Party to take over the justice system.

For years, the party has demonized judges as unreconstructed Communists and obstructionists. After coming to power in 2015, it took control of the Constitutional Tribunal, which is tasked with ensuring that laws do not violate the Constitution, and gave authority over the country’s prosecutors to the Ministry of Justice. Most recently, it asserted new powers to select judges. In recent days, judges who have spoken out against the changes have reported being harassed and intimidated.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/03/world/europe/poland-supreme-court-protest.html



People protesting the government’s actions against the judiciary in front of the Supreme Court in Warsaw on Tuesday.

[CrispyQ]

4. Thanks for the update.

Wish this topic could get more attention.

[appalachiablue]

6. Guardian report July 4. A very tense time & more info. is def. needed.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/04/poland-supreme-court-head-malgorzata-gersdorf-defies-retirement-law

[lagomorph777]

5. Putin's behind this, and we are next.

Actually, McConnell's already started the SCOTUS-stealing process.