As Kiryl Kascian writes, this could bring an end to the ethnic channel of minority representation in Lithuanian politics. Jointly they can reach the threshold. Still, this arrangement is dominated by its ethnic Polish element. In both cases, the party list received five seats, supplemented by a further three MP mandates obtained in the single-seat constituencies around Vilnius with a predominantly ethnic Polish electorate.
After the election, the party was unable to form its parliamentary fraction , and its three current MPs joined a mixed political group. For parties with limited electoral capacities, reputation is particularly important.
This triggered debates within Lithuania's Polish minority, and negatively affected the relations of its main political and civil organisations with the Embassy of Poland. The EAPL-CFA was the only parliamentary political party in Lithuania that wilfully abstained from expressing support for Belarusian civil society in its protests against the alleged fraudulent election.
Conversely, it was the EAPL-CFA's leadership who had incorporated an ethnic factor into Lithuania's public discourse by reducing all criticisms of its political contenders to a common ethnic denominator.
Notwithstanding the EAPL-CFA's failure in the Lithuanian parliamentary elections, there is still demand for an ethnic channel of political representation among Lithuania's national minorities. The party kept its core electorate, but without reaching the threshold. Crow 9, 7 Jan But Meathead Lithuania isn't really a foreign country to Poland. It should be OK to speak and learn in Polish there besides which Lithuanian is a really complex and archaic language that is difficult to learn.
While I will admit to hearing the occasional positive comment about blacks and Asians from Poles, I have never heard a Pole say anything positive about the Roma. Yes, things like why I don't need a residency permit to live in Poland Stoking the fires of hatred where there isn't any. Ironside 51 11, 7 Jan If you wanna speak polish move to Poland!
And anyway, if Poles there are too stupid to learn Lithuanian, they should stop whining and start sending their children to school. Crow 9, 8 Jan That's your reality. Actions that put Poland and the United States on the same side with values issues are especially welcome. Similarly, the Poles are apt to be close to the United States with respect to support for Ukrainian independence and internal reforms.
Polish knowledge of Belarus and Ukraine is deep and can be helpful. While Poland has shown interest in attracting Chinese capital, the government at senior levels has shown awareness of the need for European support to strengthen international rules to limit Chinese gaming of trade and technology, and has expressed support for supply-chain regulations.
Senior Polish officials have suggested that Central Europe, Poland included, could benefit from efforts to diversify upstream production from China. The Biden administration treats the EU as an ally and friend, rather than an adversary.
The US-EU Joint Statement from the June summit was clear that the United States and Europe will cooperate to advance a rules-based order that favors democracy and, on that basis, deal more effectively with authoritarian Russia and China.
The United States and Poland will have similar views on many, and perhaps most, of these issues. In addition to the Polish government, prominent Polish European officials e. US-Polish agenda: Nord Stream 2.
Doing so in practice will require Polish and Ukrainian input and input from the EU Commission involved in energy and demonopolization. Most of all, it will require German willingness to take Nord Stream 2 risks seriously and not regard the issue as a mere US domestic political problem for which Germany has no responsibility. If Germany acts on this commitment, the United States can help bring together the interested parties to work out a set of solutions, e.
If Germany is not willing to play a constructive role in addressing the risks of its own project, the United States may have to reconsider its waiver of sanctions against Nord Stream 2. US-Polish agenda: democratic values. Under Biden, the United States has made support for democracy a core element of its foreign policy. In practice, this is likely to include supporting democracy and democratic movements worldwide; taking action in support of the rule of law, including fighting corruption through financial transparency and targeting corrupt actors and tyrants; and making democracy and the rule of law general elements in US bilateral relations around the world.
As it does, both generally and with respect to Poland, the United States will have to pick its issues carefully, separating core values from partisan preference. Judicial independence is fundamental to a democratic system, though the United States itself struggles with partisanship in its own judicial system. Cultural issues are complicated: abortion rights are fiercely contested in the United States, and the United States only recently came to accept same-sex marriage as a basic right.
But, basic respect for individuals and an end to hate speech and aggressive intolerance may be a place for the United States to take a stand. Media independence could be a flashpoint. Foreign ownership of media is an issue on which many governments have limitations; changing the legislation to allow for foreign investment from Europe and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development OECD members including the United States and other developed democracies , has been considered and could resolve the problem.
Looking forward and more generally, the Polish government will have to consider its responsibilities not just to the international and European conventions on democracy that it has agreed to respect, but to its own democratic and constitutional traditions dating back to the old Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and to the values-and-democracy strategic perspective that Poland brought to reordering post-Cold War Europe, in which it played an leading role.
One way to do so is to recall that democracy, the rule of law, and tolerance are traditional Polish and US values, dating from the eighteenth century in the United States and from at least the sixteenth century in Poland; that both countries have learned that sovereignty is not absolute, but in both the Enlightenment and Judeo-Christian traditions, a sovereign government is answerable to universal values; and that the United States and Poland have sometimes and seriously fallen from their best traditions, but keep returning to them, for these traditions best express what both countries truly are at their best.
Providing expertise and building communities to promote transatlantic leadership and a strong Europe in turbulent times. The Europe Center promotes the transatlantic leadership and strategies required to ensure a strong Europe. Related Experts: Daniel Fried.
Image: U. During this time, the two took part in the Battle Of Grunwald known as the First Battle of Tannenberg , facing off against Teutonic Knights , also known as Prussia at that time period. When it appeared that Lithuania had abandoned Poland, it turned out to only be a ruse of his, in order to gain the upper hand against the Teutonic Knights. The two managed to win the war, but wound up involved in another battle some time after: The Polish-Swedish Wars.
Since Sweden opted to head back and not pursue the fight with them, the two were left with no opponents to fight against. Lithuania often felt dragged about by Poland, who treated him as a mere lackey and wanted him to "adjust" and live like him. Poland also insisted that he would help Lithuania as long as he'd listen to what he said, when it came to the wars with Russia. Eventually, the two were split apart when Russia annexed Poland and took Lithuania off to live with him, with Lithuania shouting largely in protest for Poland to wake up.
Poland's only response to watching Lithuania being dragged off was to comment on how funny his face looked. Poland would wind up partitioned time and time again, Russia considering it a hobby of his to do such. Lithuania, now under control of Russia, was abused by the larger nation and was there to witness his descent into madness on the Bloody Sunday of
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