On 15 October 2023, Polish voters opted for a change in power, with the majority backing politicians who pledged to steer the country towards rational development aligned with European values, scientific knowledge, and respect for societal will. Their campaign focused on key issues such as environmental protection, women's rights to self-determination, LGBTQ+ rights, and improvements in education and healthcare. These priorities were also reflected in the coalition agreement.

On 15 October 2024, NGOs East Initiative and Greenpeace called on the ruling coalition of Civic Coalition (KO), Third Way, and the Left to fulfil the promises made during the elections. Activists expressed dissatisfaction with the coalition's progress over its first year in power, criticising the government for failing to deliver the changes millions of Polish citizens had voted for.

The East Initiative, a youth-led organisation advocating for a "good life in Poland," symbolically presented a yellow card to the government for its lack of action. Activists delivered the card to the Prime Minister's Office in Warsaw, highlighting the unfulfilled promises made by coalition leaders during the campaign. They noted that a year after the election, many critical issues—such as women's rights, climate action, inflation, nature conservation, housing availability, and respect for human rights along the Polish-Belarusian border—remain unresolved and as distant as ever.

I asked Dominika Lasota from the East Initiative why, in her view, the government has failed to deliver on its promises. The activist responded:

"I think this government isn’t much different from the previous one. As a nation and as a society, we have made significant progress over the past few years. We know our rights, what we are entitled to, and what we deserve. Unfortunately, our political scene has not kept pace with us. One year on, we see that, despite the grand promises and declarations, politicians either fail to grasp the seriousness of the situation and the urgency with which the public expects change, or they simply lied to us back then."

When asked about the public's apparent tolerance for politicians failing to fulfil their promises, Lasota reflected:

"I’ve been wondering why there hasn’t been more outrage over issues like abortion rights or the right to asylum. I think people are just exhausted. We’ve invested so much emotion, energy, and action into pushing for change. People need a break. Electing this government was supposed to bring us some relief," she explained. "But as the East Initiative, we are certainly not giving up. We will continue to show that there are people in Poland ready to fight for their rights."

Greenpeace has also made it clear that it will not forget the promises made by the government. On 15 October, activists scattered sawdust in front of the Prime Minister's Office, symbolising the thousands of lorries that transport felled trees out of the Polish forests each day. Until recently, timber management in Poland’s forests was overseen by Zbigniew Ziobro's Sovereign Poland party.

At a press conference, Greenpeace emphasised that Donald Tusk had promised to fully protect 20% of Poland's most ecologically valuable forests. However, the government has managed to halt logging in only 1.3% of these areas—and only temporarily. Even when accounting for the 3% of forests now designated as national parks, the outcome remains far from impressive. According to Greenpeace, forests are still being treated like timber mills by the coalition that came to power on 15 October. The activists warned that restoring what is being destroyed today will take generations.

I asked Aleksandra Wiktor from the Greenpeace Foundation for her perspective on why the government's promises regarding forest protection have not been fulfilled. The activist responded:

"You would have to ask the government for specific reasons, but we see the strong influence of lobby groups, including the State Forests and other stakeholders, who continue to seek profit from our most ecologically valuable forests." Wiktor emphasised: "This is not what voters agreed to with the coalition parties. They agreed to protect 20% of our forests from chainsaws permanently."

Alongside the symbolic sawdust, Greenpeace delivered a petition to Donald Tusk, signed by over 63,000 people, demanding that 20% of Poland's forests be exempt from logging. Wiktor also referenced the results of an Ipsos opinion poll commissioned by the Pracownia na Rzecz Wszystkich Istot in January 2024, which revealed that 85% of Polish citizens support effective and permanent protection for the country’s oldest and most valuable forests.