Poland’s government may seek to bar opponents from politics

JAROSLAW KACZYNSKIPSPSPS , the chairman of Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party (i), is not a fun-loving type. Otherwise the curmudgeonly godfather of Polish politics might enjoy the irony of passing a law supposedly intended to purge the country of Russian influence, but which has distinctly Stalinist overtones. The law, which hands i a cudgel it could easily misuse to bash or ban its opponents, comes into force just months before an election in which Polish voters will pronounce judgment on his party’s eight years in office.Approved on May 29th by Andrzej Duda, Poland’s president, the law creates a nine-person state commission to investigate suspected Russian influence operations between 2007 and 2022. ispokesmen say the new panel is needed to foster transparency and strengthen the country at a time of heightened threat. “Honest people who acted in the interest of Poland have nothing to hide and nothing to be afraid of,” said Mr Duda.