Polish opposition supporters seek change, mark 1989

WARSAW (Reuters) – Hundreds of thousands of protesters gathered in Warsaw on Sunday, the 34th anniversary of Poland’s first postwar democratic election, for a march the liberal opposition has billed as a test of its ability to end nearly eight years of nationalist rule later this year.

Crowds stretching for at least a mile marched with banners reading, “Free, European Poland” and “European Union yes, PiS no.”

Some held masks of ruling party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski that had the word “shame” written on them. Half a million people were marching, according to the organizers. Police and city officials did not give an estimate.

“I’m here because freedom is important; because everyone should feel safe,” Ewa Joachimowicz, a marcher from Chelm in eastern Poland, told Reuters. “This is a protest of free people. I believe that change is already happening.”

Opinion polls show an election due after the summer will be closely fought, with Russia’s war in neighboring Ukraine giving a boost to the Law and Justice (PiS) government, which has emerged as a leading voice against the Kremlin in Europe.

The opposition has struggled to galvanize support, despite widespread criticism at home and abroad of the PiS, which has been accused of eroding the rule of law, turning state media into a government mouthpiece and endorsing homophobia.

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki’s government denies subverting any democratic norms and says its aim is to protect traditional Christian values against liberal pressures from the West and to make the economy fairer.

Donald Tusk, head of the Civic Platform grouping and former European Union council chief, welcomed supporters, saying the voice of Poles could not be silenced.

“The first step to victory is to recognize our strength,” he told the crowd. “We’re here so that Poland, Europe and the world see our strength. This wave will not be stopped. That giant has woken up. I’m proud that I can be here and say: We will win!”

In 1989, the partially free vote on June 4 handed victory to a government led by the Solidarity trade union and triggered a series of events that culminated in the fall of the Berlin Wall that November.

On Sunday, hundreds of buses arrived in Warsaw to bring opposition supporters from across the country. Some said they were motivated by a row over legislation proposed by PiS to weed out undue Russian influence from the country.

The opposition considers the legislation to be a government attempt to launch a witch hunt against political opponents.