Donald Tusk is effectively dismantling democracy in Poland. He has been doing so since forming the government, although, to be fair, he had already signaled it earlier. His mutterings about using “strong men” to storm the National Bank of Poland and quickly “bring order” to public media should have given much to think about. Only those who knew this psychologically twisted man better understood that he was not joking.
What sets him apart from other figures of this kind is that he is not independent. He has always had a superior he obeyed, while at the same time harboring a mutual contempt deep down. A certain exception was Angela Merkel, to whom he was subordinate and toward whom he simultaneously showed a degree of sympathy. Why that was the case is more a matter for psychoanalysts. Tusk’s hostility toward subordinates, as well as a hidden aversion to new overseers, paints a peculiar picture of a politician constantly tense, with barely concealed contempt for his surroundings. Tusk knows that his fate depends very little on voters, and much more on political sponsors. Like any politician, he would like to be liked, and although he has a group of supporters, he will likely go down in history as one of the most hated figures in Polish politics. His successors will have to build their image by distancing themselves from him.
There are many reasons for this, but the most important is that Tusk’s methods are repetitive, and therefore their effectiveness will diminish. It will thus be easy to gain capital within his camp by showing that Tusk represents nothing but mistakes and distortions. This process is inevitable – it cannot be stopped. At most, it can be slowed, but at an ever greater cost. This is already happening. Tusk is unleashing successive conflicts to show that he is in control, while in reality he is increasing the potential for crisis.
Many of you are probably wondering when this catastrophe will occur. Rather soon. The problem is that its initial symptoms are not very clear. After that, it will accelerate.