“IV Republic” in the eyes of Italian journalists

Karolina Golemo

How did Italian press write about Poland during the presidency of Lech Kaczynski when his brother, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, was the Prime Minister? The article, part of a larger research project, presents content analysis results of Italian daily and weekly press between Autumn 2006 and spring 2007. It analyses the way Italian journalists presented and assessed some key events from that time period such as: the new vetting act and its consequences for various political, cultural and media circles, the two “Solidarity heroes” Tadeusz Mazowiecki and Bronisław Geremek’s opposition toward this style of governing and the social response it generated, and finally attacks on gen. Jaruzelski and accusations against him regarding committing “Communist crimes”. The analysis discusses Italian correspondents’ mechanisms and patterns of thought in connection to Poland.

KEYWORDS

Polish-Italian contacts, press content analysis, media image, Italian and Polish press, perception of Polish politics