In brief
In the wake of a recent election, Poland's ruling liberal party is finding it challenging to reverse the populist policies enacted by the hard-right Law and Justice party, which ruled from 2015 until last year. This newly elected government is confronted with significant hurdles, as they endeavor to dismantle a "new state apparatus" that has adversely affected the nation’s judicial system.
The Law and Justice party, led by Jaroslaw Kaczynski, was elected with strong pledges to end immigration, restructure the civil service, purge the judiciary, and manipulate media narratives. Now, more than a year since their departure from power, the current administration, headed by Justice Minister Adam Bodnar, is struggling to restore liberal democratic norms and undo detrimental changes. Bodnar remarked the process of saying goodbye to the right-wing populism that infiltrated Poland is prolonged and arduous. He cited the need for cautious navigation through the political landscape, comparing it to the enduring grip of Viktor Orban's rule in Hungary, warning that future leaders might encounter formidable challenges in breaking free from such enduring populist policies. The fallout from Law and Justice's governance has been severe, resulting in the politicization of the judiciary, near-total bans on abortion, and strained relations with the European Union. The current government recognizes that reversing these changes will require significant time and effort, emphasizing a careful and strategic approach to rekindling the principles of liberal democracy in Poland.
