Poland
Polish opposition will vie with government on welfare
Social welfare policies are popular but draining on the public finances, whichever party proposes them
PolandEuroscepticism may cost Poland’s ruling party votes
Inept handling of Tusk reappointment is among factors eroding ruling party’s former dominance in polls
PolandMinister risks staffing Polish army with yes-men
Macierewicz admits a purge is under way of communist-era officers; he may be putting political loyalty above competence
PolandEU corruption fight passes to civil society and media
A Commission signal that it will not hold member-states to account for graft may lead to more democratic backsliding
EUWarsaw sees Tusk as domestic political threat in 2019
Kaczynski is trying to tar his rival Tusk with the Smolensk air crash against his return from EU to Polish politics
PolandPoles will hold key to EU-Gazprom settlement
Poles may well hold out when CEE member states give their verdict on a proposed EU antitrust deal with Gazprom
EUCar-driven Central-East European economies risk smash
Record Czech car output could go unsold if another slump in Western Europe prompts buyers to delay new car purchases
Eastern EuropeECB may spark rate rises in Central-Eastern Europe
Inflationary pressures are setting the stage for Central-East European rate hikes, in some cases late this year
Eastern Europe
