Turmoil in Poland over animal rights law
Poland's parliament yesterday passed an animal rights law that had angered fur farmers and kosher meat producers and divided the country's right-wing governing alliance. The junior partners in the three-party ruling coalition had refused to vote in favour, provoking the ire of Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the powerful leader of the Law and Justice (PiS) ruling party that put forward the legislation. Kaczynski, who is known for his love of cats, has threatened to exclude his coalition partners from the government during a planned cabinet shuffle or even call snap elections. The measure, which still requires the approval of the senate, bans the breeding of animals for fur and stops exports of halal and kosher meat. Poland is the world's third biggest fur producer after China and Denmark, according to activists, and a major exporter of kosher meat to Israel and Jewish communities in Europe.
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