Poland’s opposition politics: resisting the populist swing
Poland’s opposition politics: resisting the populist swing
StatusPost-Print
Alternative title
Authors
Kwiatkowska, Agnieszka
Monograph
Handbook on Opposition Politics
Monograph (alternative title)
Editor
O’Malley, Eoin
Cavatorta, Francesco
Baturo, Alexander
Date
2025-12-02
Place of publication
Publisher
Edward Elgar Publishing
Journal title
Volume
Pages
217-237
ISSN
ISBN
9781035307630
eISBN
Series
Series number
ISSN of series
Access date
2025-12-29
Remarks
Abstract PL
Abstract EN
This chapter investigates the role of the parliamentary opposition in Poland, with a particular focus on the rise of populism following the Law and Justice Party's (PiS) ascension to power in 2015. First, we examine the changing strategies adopted by opposition parties in a political climate increasingly deviating from democratic norms and values, especially regarding judicial independence, the rule of law, and political pluralism. Further, interpreting the concept of political opposition very broadly beyond political parties with parliamentary representation (Richardson, 2000, see also Baturo, O’Malley and Cavatorta in this volume), we analyse the impact of extraparliamentary parties, the informal opposition from civil society, independent judiciary and media, and the rule of law safeguards implemented by the European Union. In this manner, we showcase why Poland, despite eight years of the government's anti-democratic actions, has managed to retain the last bulwarks of democratic resilience, including a partially independent judiciary and regulatory public institutions, free media, and strong opposition, and, finally, to remove the populist party from power in the breakthrough 2023 parliamentary elections.
Abstract other
Keywords PL
Keywords EN
Poland
Democratic resilience
Judicial independence
Rule of law
Civil society
Democratic resilience
Judicial independence
Rule of law
Civil society
Keywords other
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Sustainable Development Goals
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Organisational Unit
Wydział Nauk Społecznych w Warszawie
Instytut Nauk Społecznych
Instytut Nauk Społecznych
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Version
post-print / Author's Accepted Manuscript (AAM)
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item.page.relation.dataset
Related publication
Related publication
Grant/project name
Instytucjonalizacja partii politycznych w parlamentach Europy Środkowej – data mining debat parlamentarnych
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