The strong performance of Robert Fico in the Slovakia election may lead to the breakdown of the Western led by the Western campaign.On the eve of the Polish election on October 15, the intimate alliance relations between Ukraine and Poland had also had suspicion.With Hungary's rule by Putin's reliable ally Olban, US President Biden may soon not only deal with Trump's pro -Russian Republican camp, but also with three NATO neighbors in Ukraine.confrontation.
authoritarian populists will create unreliable allies.However, the United States should not be seen by the government of Bayeng, as the Bayeng government has done to Poland, and it should not take an uncompromising position to threaten important relationships.It should take the lead in sharing the process through national reconciliation and creative power to assist in repairing the defective democratic government in the country.
Although Hungary has always been hostile to Ukraine, Slovakia has given Ukraine a huge support so far, donating air defense systems to its east neighbors and all retired Soviet era fighters.If Feizo has formed the next government, Slovakia's policy may follow the recent series of anti -Ukraine moves, including embargo Ukraine food and stop donating military equipment.
These reversal may seem shocking, but it is not unexpected.As we all know, the Poland's laws and Justice Party (PIS) and other authoritarian national movements have even placed their direct political goals in front of the most solemn international obligations.Turkey and Hungary have rejected Finland and Sweden to apply for a long process of joining NATO, which is a good example.
The traditional wisdom of the United States tells us that focusing on the overall situation is the correct response.After all, Poland has become a key node to support Ukraine and strengthen NATO deterrence.Poland received millions of Ukrainian refugees and donated most of the weapons left in the Soviet era. At the same time, it also announced a significant increase in military expenses to 5%of the GDP (GDP), exceeding twice the NATO target.The airports and ports of Poland are essential to support the logistics support for Ukraine's resistance.
However, this traditional point of view is only compared with the recognized and unprepared choice with the non -free alliance government that has cut off or significantly reduces the relationship.In other words, if public confrontation with friendly authoritarian is the only other choice, it seems that it is necessary to issue a blank check for them.As the former President of the United States, Rafael Trujillo said when talking about Dominica dictatorship Rafael Trujillo: "He may be a bastard, but he is our bastard.
Fortunately, there is another way.Most populist regime is a reflection of the deep polarization of the country's society.It is the differences between conservatives and progressive Turks, Hinduism and Indians of ethnic minorities, Hungarians of racial nationalism and internationalism, or the differences between the Slovakians of the West and the Pan -Slavism, which leads to voters' conclusions.: The only way to protect your own interests is to strengthen your own will through non -democratic means.
Poland reflects such a trend.Most public opinion surveys have shown that in the eight years since the population of the populist government, voters have severely split, and right -wing and progressive political parties have almost splitted among voters.This also reflects geographical asymmetric, which is similar to the United States.The right -wing fortress is the influence of Poland and conservative southeast, which is deeply influenced by Catholicism, and the opposition voters are concentrated in the northwest of the West and relatively progressive.
In fact, during the period of the law and the Justice Party, a few choices of political calculations that did not follow the forgotten righteousness have led to its recent performance in the stronghold.As a result, the Law and the Justice Party are now copied from the right -wing by the Conference and Independent Alliance, which violently attacked the government's support for Ukraine.In the typical political dialogenic cycle, such a election threat has led to the more extreme policies of the law and the Justice Party to respond to the current quarrel with the Ukrainian government.
However, the logic of polarization can be reversed, as long as we respond to the root cause of the democratic crisis, not just the symptoms.More than 100 scholars and activists from the same representative from left to right -wing conservative political perspectives, we have proposed a comprehensive constitutional solution to the disadvantages of Poland in Poland in Poland to become a best -selling book in Poland.Our proposal is not to simply defeat the right wing, but to realize political solution based on the principle of power sharing and profound power decentralization.
Support this proposal and other tasks to promote the political solution and stability of the current important allies in the United States, and in line with the interests of the United States, the Biden government has strong tools to help achieve this goal.For example, the President of Poland, the allies of the Justice and the Justice Party, is looking at the role of international leaders after the end of the second term of 2025. This is a public secret.Biden can use the trusted work of national reconciliation with the country's progressive force as a condition for helping Duda to achieve their desires.
The United States has initiated the efforts to promote political coexistence. As long as they succeed in one success, they may inspire other allies that have fallen into the dilemma of democratic politics and start similar efforts.In the end, Americans may also benefit from these success.After all, the negative attitude of US diplomats to solve the problem of dangerous politics within the Alliance reflects the failure to contact the domestic conservative after the loss of the Bayeon administration in Trump's 2020 election.
Our research in Poland shows that national reconciliation involves difficult compromises in issues such as education, multiculturalism or religion in public life.Considering the basic situation of democratic decline, such political solutions in the United States support and study allies will be wise.Because in these countries, the opportunity for this solution is very small.If these measures are active abroad, they may one day reverse the domestic situation.
Author Maciej Kisilowski is an associate professor of Law and Strategy of China University of China in Vienna; Anna Wojciuk is an associate professor of international relations from Warsaw University
English Original Title: Can National Reciliation Defeat Populism?
All rights reserved: Project syndicate, 2023.
