Poland: Andrzej Duda sworn-in as president for second term, opposition boycott in protest

Andrzej Duda was sworn in once again for his second five-year term as President of Poland on August 6 after winning the presidential elections. As per reports, most opposition parliamentarians and Ex-presidents of Poland were absent form his swearing-in ceremony in a show of disapproval for the president and his actions during his first term which they say 'was in several ways disregarding the country’s constitution'.

Advocates for preservation of family values

According to reports, Duda during his first term was hostile towards the LGBTQ community and has stated that under his rule all groups and political parties will be allowed to act without undue restrictions but has also stressed the importance of family in society and the need to protect it. During the swearing-in ceremony, many left-wing lawmakers dressed in the colours of the rainbow in a bid to show their support for the LGBTQ community.

As per reports, Andrzej Duda won the elections held on July 12 by accumulating 51.03 per cent of the votes while his opponent, accumulated 48.97 per cent of the votes. The voting turnout for the election was almost 65 per cent of the eligible population in a nation comprising of 38 million people.

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According to reports, after the swearing-in ceremony on August 6, Duda was scheduled to renew his command of the Polish Armed Forces, as well as attend an inaugural Catholic Mass and be reappointed to head a committee that bestows Poland’s highest distinctions.

Poland to opt-out of European Treaty

As per reports, in the coming weeks, Poland will be starting to process to opt-out of the European treaty that opposes violence against women. The decision by the right-wing government has triggered wide-spread protest in the country. The government has said that the treaty violates the rights of the parents by needing the educational institutes to teach the children about gender.

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