In Poland, the conservative-nationalist governing coalition faces collapse due to a new Animal Welfare law, threatening a split within the major ruling party Law and Justice (PiS).
The new law aims to ban fur animal breeding farms and the keeping of carnival animals, as well as a near-total ban on slaughter without stunning. This would mean the downfall of the Polish poultry industry. The proposal from Prime Minister Andrzej Duda of the right-conservative PiS party receives support from part of his own PiS parliamentary group and from the left-wing opposition parties, but not from the agricultural factions within his own party nor from the smaller coalition partners.
As a result, it must become clear next week whether Duda can continue governing as a minority cabinet or if early parliamentary elections must be called. Prime Minister Duda himself supports the proposal, which he says brings Poland in line with European Union standards. He also believes that 'all good people' should support the law.
Opponents argue that the law poses a threat to the Polish livestock industry. Poland is one of Europe's largest exporters of fox and mink fur and kosher meat. The law will still allow ritual slaughter but only for religious people within Poland itself. Kosher meat would therefore no longer be exported, which is exactly what the vast majority of the Polish poultry industry depends on.
Polish Minister of Agriculture Jan Krzysztof Ardanowski, who is a member of PiS, is also not in favor of the law. Last Wednesday, hundreds of farmers protested outside the minister’s office and in front of the parliamentary building in Warsaw. Polish farmers accuse the PiS party of having said nothing about this significant legislative change during last year’s parliamentary elections and in July's presidential elections.
However, the youth wing of the PiS party has for years pushed for better Environmental and Climate policies and modernization of the Polish countryside and agricultural sector. This youth wing was closely involved in drafting the new Animal Welfare law. Almost simultaneously with the presentation of the plans, shocking video footage was broadcast in Polish media showing how animals are treated in Polish fur animal breeding farms.