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Defection Hurts Polish Premier Amid Protests Defection Hurts Polish Premier Amid Protests
(about 2 hours later)
PARIS — While thousands of Polish labor union members marched through Warsaw on Thursday, a member of the governing party defected, pushing the center-right government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk to the brink of losing its parliamentary majority amid intensifying popular discontent.PARIS — While thousands of Polish labor union members marched through Warsaw on Thursday, a member of the governing party defected, pushing the center-right government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk to the brink of losing its parliamentary majority amid intensifying popular discontent.
The protests, which began on Wednesday and are set to continue into Saturday, reflect Poles’ growing dissatisfaction with the economy. Poles are also showing increasing fatigue with Mr. Tusk, who came to power in 2007.The protests, which began on Wednesday and are set to continue into Saturday, reflect Poles’ growing dissatisfaction with the economy. Poles are also showing increasing fatigue with Mr. Tusk, who came to power in 2007.
About 23,000 protested on Wednesday, and organizers are predicting 60,000 on Saturday, according to Gazeta Wyborcza, a leading newspaper.About 23,000 protested on Wednesday, and organizers are predicting 60,000 on Saturday, according to Gazeta Wyborcza, a leading newspaper.
On Thursday, Jacek Zalek, a member of Poland’s lower house of Parliament, resigned from the ruling Civic Platform party, leaving Mr. Tusk’s coalition government with 232 votes in the 460-seat house. “Those protests are a sign that we were unable to rise to the challenges that were put before us by Poles,” Mr. Zalek said at a news conference in Warsaw on Thursday.On Thursday, Jacek Zalek, a member of Poland’s lower house of Parliament, resigned from the ruling Civic Platform party, leaving Mr. Tusk’s coalition government with 232 votes in the 460-seat house. “Those protests are a sign that we were unable to rise to the challenges that were put before us by Poles,” Mr. Zalek said at a news conference in Warsaw on Thursday.
Until recently lauded as the “eastern miracle” for generating growth during the height of Europe’s debt crisis, Poland is expected to grow just 1 percent this year, its weakest pace since the late 1990s. Unemployment is about 13 percent.Until recently lauded as the “eastern miracle” for generating growth during the height of Europe’s debt crisis, Poland is expected to grow just 1 percent this year, its weakest pace since the late 1990s. Unemployment is about 13 percent.
The protests are being fueled by a marriage between activists from Solidarity, the labor union that helped bring about the collapse of Communist rule, and followers of Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the former prime minister and leader of the populist right-wing Law and Justice Party.The protests are being fueled by a marriage between activists from Solidarity, the labor union that helped bring about the collapse of Communist rule, and followers of Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the former prime minister and leader of the populist right-wing Law and Justice Party.
Mr. Kaczynski’s twin brother, then-President Lech Kaczynski, died in a plane crash near Smolensk, in western Russia, in 2010. Emboldened by a mix of sympathy over the crash and contempt for Mr. Tusk, Jaroslaw has been forging a political comeback by tapping into a belief that the government has forsaken ordinary people.Mr. Kaczynski’s twin brother, then-President Lech Kaczynski, died in a plane crash near Smolensk, in western Russia, in 2010. Emboldened by a mix of sympathy over the crash and contempt for Mr. Tusk, Jaroslaw has been forging a political comeback by tapping into a belief that the government has forsaken ordinary people.
Chanting “No to Sweatshops” and “Wake up Poland,” the protesters are railing against low wages and have called on the government to change labor laws that allow employers to delay paying overtime for 12 months. They are demanding contracts that guarantee health care and retirement benefits. They also want to reverse the recent raising of the retirement age. Chanting “No to sweatshops” and “Wake up Poland,” the protesters are railing against low wages and have called on the government to change labor laws that allow employers to delay paying overtime for 12 months. They are demanding contracts that guarantee health care and retirement benefits. They also want to reverse the recent raising of the retirement age.
Mr. Tusk has faced criticism from business leaders as well, after offering a plan for the state to take over part of the assets of privately managed pension funds. The move has fanned concerns that the government is abandoning its pro-business policies.Mr. Tusk has faced criticism from business leaders as well, after offering a plan for the state to take over part of the assets of privately managed pension funds. The move has fanned concerns that the government is abandoning its pro-business policies.
Jacek Zakowski, a journalist with the magazine Polityka, said the protests were spurred by a backlash among Poles who had lost the most under the austerity measures that had helped Poland to weather the economic crisis.Jacek Zakowski, a journalist with the magazine Polityka, said the protests were spurred by a backlash among Poles who had lost the most under the austerity measures that had helped Poland to weather the economic crisis.
“People are fed up with the narrative, expressed by elites connected to the Tusk government, that those who aren’t working are lazy and not trying hard enough,” he said by telephone from Warsaw. “There is a feeling that those on the bottom have paid the biggest price.”“People are fed up with the narrative, expressed by elites connected to the Tusk government, that those who aren’t working are lazy and not trying hard enough,” he said by telephone from Warsaw. “There is a feeling that those on the bottom have paid the biggest price.”

Mateusz Zurawik contributed reporting from Warsaw.

Mateusz Zurawik contributed reporting from Warsaw.