Le Weekend ➡️ Poland’s presidential showdown, between Europe and its illiberal shadow

⬇️  STARTER

Poland’s presidential showdown, between Europe and its illiberal shadow

It has become something of a classic pattern: every election in Europe is presented as decisive in the battle between democracy and illiberalism — with implications for Ukraine’s future and even the future of Europe itself.

That was the case in Romania’s election two weeks ago, won by a liberal candidate, and it is the case again this Sunday with Poland’s presidential runoff.

It may be a familiar scenario, but it’s also largely true. It bears repeating: Poland is now a key player in Europe. It’s the largest country in Central Europe, on the EU’s eastern flank, bordering Ukraine and acting as its lifeline to the West. Warsaw belongs to the inner circle of European leadership alongside Paris, London, and Berlin in the “Coalition of the Willing” supporting Ukraine and shaping strategy toward both Putin and Trump. Poland is also now the biggest defense spender relative to GDP in Europe, approaching 5%. So yes, this election carries real consequences.

This is especially true given how starkly opposed the two candidates are: the liberal mayor of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski, versus Karol Nawrocki, the national-conservative candidate. […]

— Read the full article by Pierre Haski for France Inter, translated from French by Worldcrunch.

🎲  OUR WEEKLY NEWS QUIZ

What do you remember from the news this week?

1. The UN World Food Programme said that “hordes” of people broke into what kind of facility in central Gaza?
2. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov blamed “emotional overload” for Donald Trump saying Vladimir Putin was what?
3. Which Japanese products did China agree to resume importing following a two-year ban?
4. Caretakers of the Giant’s Causeway landmark in Northern Ireland have asked visitors to stop putting what among the iconic rocks?
padlocks / coins / love notes / their fingers

[Answers at the bottom of this newsletter]

️⃣ TRENDING

A new Canadian review published Wednesday in PLOS One warns that the viral mouth taping trend — which has gained popularity in particular on TikTok and Instagram — may pose a serious risk of asphyxiation. Promoted as a way to improve sleep, oral health, and even slow aging, the practice involves taping the mouth shut to prevent mouth-breathing during sleep. But researchers found that for people with nasal obstructions like hay fever, chronic rhinitis, or a deviated septum, the trend could worsen symptoms and lead to dangerous health complications.

🎭  5 CULTURE THINGS TO KNOW

• Ancient tombs more than 3,000 years old discovered in Egypt. Egyptian archaeologists have unearthed three new tombs of prominent statesmen dating back to the New Kingdom period (1550–1070 B.C.) in the Dra Abu al-Naga necropolis in Luxor. Inscriptions inside the tombs allowed the excavation team to identify the names and titles of their owners, the tourism and antiquities ministry said, calling it a “significant” discovery for the country’s archaeological record.

• French street artist imprisoned in Azerbaijan released. French street artist Théo Clerc has returned to France after he was pardoned by Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and freed, following 422 days in detention. Clerc, 38, had been sentenced to three years in jail in Azerbaijan for painting graffiti in the Baku metro. French authorities had complained that Clerc was subjected to “arbitrary and blatantly discriminatory treatment” and had advised its citizens against traveling to Azerbaijan because of a lack of legal protections and the risk of “arbitrary detention and unfair sentencing.”

• In memoriam: Veteran South Korean actor Choi Jung-woo, known for his roles in dramas such as The Tale of Lady Ok and films including Miss Granny, died at the age of 68; South African actor Presley Chweneyagae, who gained international recognition for his leading role in the 2005 Oscar-winning movie Tsotsi, passed away at 40; U.S. guitarist and singer Rick Derringer, the former McCoys rocker who gained popularity for songs including “Hang On Sloopy” and “Rock And Roll, Hoochie Koo,” died aged 77; German-French filmmaker Marcel Ophuls, whose documentary The Sorrow and the Pity uncovered the truth of France’s collaboration with Nazi Germany during WWII, died at 97; Kenyan writer and global literary giant Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, known for his six decades of work that focused on Kenya’s transformation from colonialism to democracy, died at the age of 87.

• Park Min-young to lead Amazon’s first South Korean original series. Actress Park Min-young has been selected as the lead in The Confidence Man KR (tentative title), the first South Korean original series produced by global streaming platform Amazon Prime Video. Soaring global demand and interest in Korean content has prompted the platform to greenlight its first original production from the Asian country. The drama, which follows three highly skilled con artists who pull off elaborate schemes against corrupt individuals, will get its global premiere in the second half of 2025.
• Avengers assemble in Bahrain ahead of Doomsday movie. The star-studded cast of Avengers: Doomsday has been spotted in Bahrain, where filming for the much-anticipated Marvel movie is thought to be taking place. Photos of the actors surfaced on social media, offering clues about what to expect in the fifth film of the blockbuster Avengers series. Avengers: Doomsday, which will be directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, is scheduled to be released in 2027.

🎤 SMILE OF THE WEEK

Is that a Sister Act sequel? Two Brazilian nuns went viral after an impromptu beatboxing and dance performance on Catholic TV channel TV Pai Eterno. During a May 20 interview, Sister Marizele dropped some beats while Sister Marisa showed off her dance moves — instantly winning over viewers. Dubbed “Nun DMC” and likened to musical crime comedy Sister Act, the duo’s joyful groove has charmed fans far beyond Brazil.

⏩  LOOKING AHEAD

• Poland takes to the polls on Sunday in the second round of voting for the country’s next president, with a close contest that opposes Warsaw’s liberal mayor Rafał Trzaskowski and national conservative historian Karol Nawrocki. In South Korea, election day is set for June 3 to choose who will replace impeached President Yoon Sook-yeol.

• Syria’s stock market is expected to reopen on Monday, Finance Minister Yisr Barnieh said, nearly seven months after former leader Bashar al-Assad was ousted from power.

• Netflix’s yearly global fan event “Tudum” will stream live on the platform on Saturday, featuring a performance by Lady Gaga. The event will also reveal updates on shows like Stranger Things, Squid Game and Emily in Paris.

News quiz answers:

1. A UN food warehouse in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, was stormed by hundreds of Palestinians amid severe shortages — killing two in a stampede and two more by gunshots. Despite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s promise to lift the siege, humanitarian access remains blocked and only minimal food aid has entered Gaza, deepening the crisis and fueling desperation.
2. In response to Russia’s largest aerial assault of the war on Ukraine on Saturday night — during which 355 drones and 9 missiles were deployed — U.S. President Donald Trump labeled Russian President Vladimir Putin as “absolutely crazy,” citing the needless killings of 12 civilians and dozens wounded. In turn, Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov, dismissed Trump’s remarks, attributing them to “emotional overload” amid ongoing efforts to negotiate a ceasefire.
3. China has agreed to resume imports of Japanese seafood products, lifting a nearly two-year ban imposed after Japan released wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea. The agreement includes safety measures such as registering seafood facilities and providing inspection certificates to ensure the absence of radioactive substances.
4. The caretakers asked visitors to stop placing coins in the crevices of the rocks, as they cause them to discolor. Much like the case of the iconic Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, where tourists attached padlocks to the bridge (which led to a partial collapse in 2014), tourists are now asked to keep their change in their pockets and rely on other ways to summon luck or love.