In Central and Eastern Europe, many things are no longer what they were a short time ago. On the one hand, Poland’s national-conservative government seeks full confrontation with the European Union. The Constitutional Court in Warsaw ruled that EU law partially contradicts Polish law.
An escalation in domestic and foreign policy can hardly be averted: the EU can no longer accept this stance.
What is even more significant, however, is that the decision has caused enormous waves in Poland itself. In Warsaw alone, more than 100,000 people took to the streets to demonstrate for Poland to remain in the Union. There were also large-scale demonstrations in dozens of cities across the country. The spokesman was none other than the leading opposition politician Donald Tusk, once President of the European Council. For the EU, this is also a strong signal from the East.
Meanwhile, in the Czech Republic, the populist and deeply EU-critical Prime Minister Andrej Babis – which was hardly noticed in this country – surprisingly lost the elections. He is now worried about his post as prime minister. After the revelations by the Pandora Papers about his foreign front companies, after allegations of corruption and alleged tax evasion under pressure, Babis could no longer score points with the Czech voters with his tough anti-Europe course.
After the election defeat, it was not long before Babis expressed doubts about the count – in the manner of Donald Trump. And as with Trump, it quickly became clear: The result cannot be shaken. In the meantime, Babis has signaled that he will resign from the office.
As in Poland, it is also evident here: An overly nationalistic rhetoric against the outside will sooner or later take revenge on the inside.
Much less critical of the EU, but also confronted with allegations of corruption and abuse of office, Austria’s Chancellor Sebastian had to resign a week ago. This is not the first time that our neighboring country to the east has been shaken by a political scandal.
In terms of content, the policy of ÖVP chairman Kurz cannot be compared with that of the Czech Republic or Poland. And yet the events in Vienna fit into the picture with those in Prague and Warsaw. They stand for a change in European politics: whereas populists in Eastern Europe, but also tough power politicians like Kurz, have been able to stay afloat with unfair or undemocratic positions, the democratic institutions, the media and the electorate are now setting their limits. This change may seem almost imperceptible at the moment, but it gives hope.