Populist Rebellion Against Europe? Contextualizing the current rule of law crisis in Poland in a European perspective

The panel discussion focused on the rule of law crisis in Poland from legal, political and sociological perspectives took place on 08 November 2021. The event was organised in the framework of POPREBEL.

The Constitutional Tribunal of Poland issued a ruling on 7 October 2021 that is seen to fundamentally question the legal order of the European Union. It is the latest episode in an ongoing conflict between Poland and the EU on the rule of law. The ruling has raised questions on Poland’s relation with the EU: What are the ramifications of this ruling for the place of Poland in Europe? And how should we understand this judgment in light of a broader trend of illiberal, populist and Eurosceptic politics in Poland and the region of Central and Eastern Europe?

These questions and more are discussed by the following speakers on this panel:

• Mirosław Wróblewski, Director of the Department of Constitutional and International Law of the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights in Poland (Biuro Rzecznika Praw Obywatelskich)

• Prof. dr hab. Zdzisław Mach, Professor at the Institute of European Studies; Scientist-in-charge for POPREBEL at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków

• Dr Natasza Styczyńska, Assistant professor at the Institute of European Studies; POPREBEL researcher on populist Euroscepticism in Poland at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków

The discussion was moderated by Jan Meijer, research assistant for POPREBEL at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków.