The Polish Government's Response to COVID-19 Protests: Restrictions and Contradictions in "Moments of Madness"

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic produced "moments of madness" (Zolberg 1972), a temporary feeling that everything has changed and all things are possible. While usually viewed as an opportunity for the masses to envision positive change, we argue that governments also feel "moments of madness", and in their crisis response, they may attempt to deepen their institutional power. As this is particularly troublesome in countries with authoritarian tendencies, we examined national laws and public statements of leading Polish members of government about street protest in 2020. The PiS-led government implemented European Union and WHO-recommended social distancing measures that curtailed constitutional freedoms of the right to peaceful assembly. They executed these measures via governmental decrees rather than primary legislative acts and thus normatively ruled out street protests. The government framed themselves as defenders of civil liberties and promoters of social solidarity and argued that the restrictions are essential for public safety. At the same time, they contradicted these frames by disparaging political opponents who engaged in street protests as immoral threats to public health. We highlight the tensions and trade-offs between public health and civil liberties and offer an extension and critique of the "moments of madness" thesis.