The Game's afoot
Both before and after May 1, Europe's English-language media was full of special reports and features about the accession countries. To some degree, Poland has dominated, not least because it is larger than the other nine new members combined. However, whereas previously any general report on Poland usually gave only the dry facts, such as population and area (and sometimes even a map so West Europeans could locate it), now journalists and editors are beginning to sit up and take a closer look at how this country is run.
A telling article in the UK's Guardian this week was typical of the level of analysis to which Poland is now subject. Called 'Rocking the boat from Warsaw,' the writer claimed that Poland will be the most difficult of the new members for Brussels to control. Poles have already shown how cantankerous they intend to be, and they have marked their membership - the climax of 15 years of revolution and modernization - with the fall of their government.
The author went on to give an informative overview of Polish politics which, it has to be said, makes for sobering reading. The likelihood that Marek Belka will be able to form a government is not rated very highly, and even if he can, it will most probably be hamstrung. Waiting in the wings is the Civic Platform's Jan Rokita, displaying his now standard subtle-as-a-flying-brick EU skepticism, and the redoubtable Andrzej Lepper, head of Samoobrona (Self-defense) and already, according to the Guardian, the most popular politician in Poland. Although the article said that he is committed to starting withdrawal proceedings from the EU should he gain power, Lepper was actually quoted as saying, "I'm not against the EU. We're not against membership. We're against the conditions for Polish membership." The report pointed out that this is exactly the kind of argument used by Brussels-bashers almost everywhere, including the extreme right-wing Austrian Joerg Haider. The fact is, Lepper is 'anti' just about everything, except Russia.
Other Poles were also quoted, from students to well-known commentators, and the dominating sentiment was one of pragmatism, not enthusiasm. The amusing analogy employed by one interviewee was that accession was no longer about romance and candle-lit dinners, but more like an old marriage, with the partners complaining about who was going to clean the toilet. And, in the short term, there are justified grievances.
The EU rests on three fundamental freedoms - of labor, goods and capital. To deny Poles the first and most important of these, in some cases for up to 15 years, can only cause resentment. Furthermore, with one in five Poles still making a living (of sorts) from the land, anger at receiving only a quarter of the subsidies enjoyed by French and German farmers is perfectly understandable. Against this background, it is no surprise that a left-wing populist like Lepper is making all the running.
The article concluded that these teething problems may very well be just that - temporary. But Poland is a big and proud nation that only regained its independence 15 years ago; it is not about to give that up lightly, and promises to be a difficult and feisty partner. The reasoning goes that if Poland simply accepts everything put forward by Brussels, it will be ignored and taken for granted, whereas if not, Poland will gain respect. This is why Poland does, and will, continue to fight tooth and nail for the best that it can get. And quite right, too.
A telling article in the UK's Guardian this week was typical of the level of analysis to which Poland is now subject. Called 'Rocking the boat from Warsaw,' the writer claimed that Poland will be the most difficult of the new members for Brussels to control. Poles have already shown how cantankerous they intend to be, and they have marked their membership - the climax of 15 years of revolution and modernization - with the fall of their government.
The author went on to give an informative overview of Polish politics which, it has to be said, makes for sobering reading. The likelihood that Marek Belka will be able to form a government is not rated very highly, and even if he can, it will most probably be hamstrung. Waiting in the wings is the Civic Platform's Jan Rokita, displaying his now standard subtle-as-a-flying-brick EU skepticism, and the redoubtable Andrzej Lepper, head of Samoobrona (Self-defense) and already, according to the Guardian, the most popular politician in Poland. Although the article said that he is committed to starting withdrawal proceedings from the EU should he gain power, Lepper was actually quoted as saying, "I'm not against the EU. We're not against membership. We're against the conditions for Polish membership." The report pointed out that this is exactly the kind of argument used by Brussels-bashers almost everywhere, including the extreme right-wing Austrian Joerg Haider. The fact is, Lepper is 'anti' just about everything, except Russia.
Other Poles were also quoted, from students to well-known commentators, and the dominating sentiment was one of pragmatism, not enthusiasm. The amusing analogy employed by one interviewee was that accession was no longer about romance and candle-lit dinners, but more like an old marriage, with the partners complaining about who was going to clean the toilet. And, in the short term, there are justified grievances.
The EU rests on three fundamental freedoms - of labor, goods and capital. To deny Poles the first and most important of these, in some cases for up to 15 years, can only cause resentment. Furthermore, with one in five Poles still making a living (of sorts) from the land, anger at receiving only a quarter of the subsidies enjoyed by French and German farmers is perfectly understandable. Against this background, it is no surprise that a left-wing populist like Lepper is making all the running.
The article concluded that these teething problems may very well be just that - temporary. But Poland is a big and proud nation that only regained its independence 15 years ago; it is not about to give that up lightly, and promises to be a difficult and feisty partner. The reasoning goes that if Poland simply accepts everything put forward by Brussels, it will be ignored and taken for granted, whereas if not, Poland will gain respect. This is why Poland does, and will, continue to fight tooth and nail for the best that it can get. And quite right, too.
