“Brexit can happen here”: Poles demonstrate in support of European Union membership

More than 100,000 poles rallied Sunday in support of the membership of the European Union after a court ruling that parts of European Union law are incompatible with the country’s Constitution raised concerns that the country could leave the bloc.

Politicians across Europe voiced their rejection of the ruling by Poland’s Constitutional Court on Thursday, declaring that it undermines the legal pillar on which the 27-nation EU stands.

According to the organizers, the protests took place in more than 100 towns and cities in Poland and several cities abroad, with 80,000 to 100,000 people gathered in the capital Warsaw alone, waving Polish and German flags. European Union and screaming “We stayed”.

Donald Tusk, former head of the European Council and now leader of the main opposition party Civic Platform, declared that the policies of the ruling Law and Justice party (PiS) were endangering Poland’s future in Europe.

“We know why they want to leave (the EU) (…), so that they can violate democratic rules with impunity”, he said, speaking in front of the Royal Castle in Warsaw, surrounded by thousands of protesters.

PiS says it has no plans for a “Polexit”.

But right-wing populist governments in Poland and Hungary increasingly disagree with the European Commission on issues ranging from LGBT rights to judicial independence.

“Just as Brexit suddenly became a fact, something that nobody expected, the same can happen here”, warned Janusz Kuczynski, 59, standing on a street in Warsaw’s historic district that leads to the Royal Castle.

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