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it was a democratic sea change the
Polish people voted out the right-wing
populists from the law and Justice
party increasingly it seems they were
nothing more than thieves and
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Crooks I'm optimistic I feel good about
what's to
come the elections have shown that the
majority is fed
up but the country is
divided there'll be resistance from the
right for 8 years right-wing nationalist
populists ruled
Poland new leader Donald Tusk is liberal
in pro- Europe and not everyone is
happy I don't accept the
election not even the Communists did
what the current government is
doing so what is the mood like in Poland
can the country overcome its
divisions
here in sherov vitza in Northern Poland
birthday celebrations are underway for
Christina formela she's turning
73 it's also what's known as fat
Thursday a last chance to eat some
treats before the restrictions of Lent
kick
in
fat Thursday is a typical Polish
tradition everyone here bakes whatever
they can it's about having a good time
together what are these seniors
expecting from Poland's new government
and how can Society overcome its
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divisions I don't want to talk about
political divisions here we're building
a civil society we want people to get
along with each
other
we just did what we had to do that's why
I believe in this government in these
people we ask if anyone here supports
the Old Government led by the law and
Justice party we're told the lady in red
does but she doesn't want to talk to us
especially not in front of the camera
but this area is strongly pro- Law And
Justice around here the law and Justice
party gets about 70% in elections but
their supporters are hiding
we do find one in the Town Center Taxi
Driver Maran doesn't believe in the new
government or even in the election
results I don't accept it although now I
have to because what else can I
do no the law and Justice party had a
lot of
Voters Christina formela meanwhile is
Happy The Old Government left
office
if you ask me it doesn't deserve any
credit I don't like them I never
supported them and I didn't like what
they did when they were in
power increasingly it seems they were
nothing more than thieves and
Crooks despite the birthday party Spirit
she doesn't have a kind word to say
about the Old
Government so how did Poland get to this
point the popul Law And Justice party
came to power in
2015 it represented nationalists and
right-wing conservative
values the party's policy positions had
concrete effects on the lives of Polish
people for example there was
discrimination against lgbtq plus people
this was a central pillar of the party's
platform it also oversaw a deao ban on
abortions including for medical reasons
several pregnant women died as a
result and it exerted influence on
previously independent media journalists
critical of the government lost their
jobs many Polish people protested but
that didn't stop the ruling party
instead it brought in popular but
expensive
policies the child benefit allowance was
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raised while retirement age was lowered
meaning older citizens no longer had to
work as long changes like these were
well received including by many here in
sherov vitza after enjoying their cakes
the women are now taking part in an
exercise class at the local sports
center the most important thing is to
have a decent pension so I can buy
things without having to pick out one
pair or one
apple newly elected prime minister
Donald now faces a big job after 8 years
of right-wing populism he has to
revitalize Democratic institutions and
bring people
together I believe that young people
will finally have their chance here
younger people decide what should happen
how it should happen and how they want
to
live in order to talk to some younger
Polish people we live sherov vitza and
Drive East our destination the Tri City
of Gdansk Ginia and
soot it just so happens there's another
birthday Marin kovski is turning 40 and
his boyfriend rodic shumski surprises
him with gifts and
cake as a gay couple in Poland they've
suffered at the hands of conservative
Society but since the recent political
change there are signs of a different
move towards queer people even when it
comes to things like displaying
affection as time goes on it'll probably
become more and more accepted yesterday
we were at an anniversary party and we
actually greeted each other with a kiss
I had the impression that people weren't
as
bothered in cities like this one there
are more lgbtq plus people than
elsewhere but at the same time
homophobic people are also particularly
active being openly gay is a test of
Courage
yeah often I've tried to hold Marin's
hand in public and it's been
uncomfortable for
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him but I think that I'm just as much a
citizen as anyone
else I deserve the same
rights and I can walk down the street
with my loved one
next we meet Martin magot and P yanovski
from to an lgbtq plus activist Network
in Gdansk they say things are now
changing for the
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better right now you can feel that
there's more acceptance but there's also
fear just because the government's
changed doesn't mean that Society has
changed
yet currently no Provisions in the
Polish criminal code saying that
homophobic hate speech is
illegal an example this truck passing a
school the message from its loudspeakers
accuses lgbtq plus people of
pedophilia these Law And Justice party
supporters are demonstrating against
queer people a protest that leads to
violence there's a lack of equality and
respect of diversity more appreciation
of
diversity as Marin and radic celebrate
Marin's birthday over coffee and cake
they're also planning to pursue a big
goal they want to get married properly
with an official certificate to prove it
the new government aims to pass a law
that makes civil unions possible for
everyone I've already started inviting
everyone I tell my family it might be
possible in two or 3 years they're very
much in favor as are most people I know
that's one of the laws expected from
Donald tusk's new government another
aims to improve women's right to
abortion hardly any other topic
polarizes polish society as much as this
one supporters of abortion rights
emphasize it as a women's rights
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issue while opponents see it as a
pro-life
issue it's especially controversial in
rural
areas we head back to sherak kovit where
Taxi Driver Maran is waiting outside the
church the law and Justice supporter has
no problem with misogynist slogans and
is firmly against
abortion in The Villages they say a
woman wants to have sex in the evening
and the next morning have an
abortion is that Catholic that's not
Catholic
the town is strongly Catholic like large
parts of Poland it has the highest birth
rate in the country large families are
held in high esteem
here it's a gift a miracle I think women
should be fulfilled by motherhood as
much as
possible while the law and Justice party
was in office major media Outlets tended
to broadcast anti-abortion propaganda
because they were under the influence of
the right-wing populists journalists
critical of the government were forced
out including agneska
mikov we meet her at Gdansk airport she
works there as a press officer since
being sacked by the state
broadcaster I worked in radio for 25
years mostly doing political
interviews I asked difficult and
uncomfortable
questions and the new team couldn't
accept that
they didn't want journalists asking them
those kinds of
questions eventually they tried to force
us out and so we had to
go aneska mov still prefers to watch the
news on a privately run Channel instead
of the public channel that was formerly
dominated by the law and Justice
party the broadcaster is now in a state
of
upheaval programs that spread Law And
Justice party propaganda and celebrate
leader yaroslav kajinski have been cut
which hasn't gone down well with
everyone why did they shut down our
Channel they liquidated it by
force when they have no arguments they
use
violence why can't I watch the
Channel I want to watch
it I'm the one with the remote in my
hand it's my
right for the sacked journalist it's
clear that Pro law Justice staff should
now be fired in turn it's the only way
to achieve media
balance there's no doubt in my mind that
most of these people acting like they
have a journalistic mission have to go
immediately they have to be
fired is Poland heading for improved
social cohesion or entrenched
Division I really feel there's hope for
a big social
change it'll be difficult to make
far-reaching changes
now we're at the beginning of this road
we just want to be one
Society we'd really benefit from that
the country and the
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world go