Difference between revisions of "Andrzej Duda"

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Andrzej Duda

Andrzej Duda (born 16 May 1972) is the fifth President of Poland. He is a member of the neoconservative Law and Justice Party, which controlled the Presidency from 2005 to 2010 and would have done so longer had popular President Lech Kaczyński not been killed in a plane crash.^[1] He defeated the liberal President Bronisław Komorowski on May 25, 2015, in a runoff election to become the fifth President-elect of Poland since 1990.

Political positions

Duda, as a member of the Law and Justice Party, which claims to represent the conservative and Christian views within Polish politics, supporting free market principles, reducing tax rates, ending government corruption, strengthening national defense, promoting and protecting traditional marriage, restricting abortion, and preventing Communists and former members of the oppressive Stalinist regime that was imposed on Poland from 1945 to 1989 from serving openly in positions of authority.^[2] However, the party also hypocritically aligns with American neoconservatives and the Deep State on foreign policy, especially where Russia is concerned.[1][2][3][4]

Duda is skeptical of mass migration and opposes European Union attempts to force Poland to accept refugees.^[3] He has stated that "there is no doubt the growing wave of terrorism is linked to migration."^[4]

In 2018, Duda proposed holding several referendums on numerous topics, including whether Polish law superseded "international law", on emphasizing Poland's Christian heritage in the constitution, and whether Poland should remain a member of the EU.^[5] However, Duda also holds environmentalist policies, also he has introduced some socialist programs such as 500+.^{[Citation Needed]}

On May 3, 2022, Duda said in a nationally televised speech, "I hope that Ukraine will be a brotherly state to Poland; that it will not have a border between them, that there will in fact be no border; that we will live together on this land, rebuilding ourselves and building our common happiness, our common strength."^[6]

While attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) President Duda accused Germany of breaking its word to re-supply Poland with new tanks as compensation for Polish deliveries of Soviet-era tanks to Ukraine. In an interview with Die Welt Duda said Germany has "not fulfilled this promise. And frankly, we are very disappointed about this....We have provided Ukraine with a large number of tanks … because we believe it is our responsibility as a neighbor,” Duda said, referring to reports that Warsaw handed at least 240 Soviet-era tanks to the Ukrainian military. “By doing so, we depleted our own military potential and stockpiles."^[7] On May 25, 2022 Politico reported that Germany was "flabbergasted" by accusations from Duda that Germany had broken its promise to resupply Poland with tanks after Poland's delivery to Ukraine of 240 Soviet era tanks. A government spokesman said, “There was a clear request from the Polish side to transfer state-of-the-art Leopard 2A7 main battle tanks to Poland, but the problem is that the Bundeswehr itself only has a small number — about 50 — of these tanks,” adding that while “more are in the pipeline....they have to be manufactured.”^[8]

Duda said at the opening of the 2023 United Nations General Assembly session, "Ukraine is like a drowning man, it can drag us into the depths".^[9] Duda clarified his statement to reporters: "Ukraine is behaving like a drowning person clinging to everything he can... but we have the right to defend ourselves against harm being done to us. A drowning person is extremely dangerous, he can pull you down to the depths... simply drown the rescuer. We must act to protect ourselves from the harm being done to us, because if the drowning person... drowns us, he will not get help. So we have to take care of our interests and we will do it effectively and decisively.”^[10]

References