Turnaround in Poland

VBKI 2023 – Foreign Policy Lunch – Thema: Polens Wahlergebnis verstehen: Protest, Populismus und Polarisierung? – Referent: Dr. Kai-Olaf Lang (Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik)

Turnaround in Poland

Foreign Policy Lunch: Review of the elections in the neighboring country

It is a turnaround that has surprised many observers - at least in its clarity. On the basis of a historically high voter turnout, Poles voted for change and reorganized the majority situation in their home country - the liberal opposition alliance defeated the national populist PiS.

The International Politics and Economics Committee organized a Foreign Policy Lunch on the topic the day after the elections on Sunday. Together with committee head Christoph von Marschall, Kai-Olaf Lang, Poland expert at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), analyzed the election results. It was clear that the Poles had voted for change. The mantra of "Brussels and Berlin" as the enemy, which the ruling party had been putting forward for years, had not caught on with the majority of voters. On the contrary: instead of turning away from Europe, the issue ultimately proved to be a mobilizing factor in favour of the opposition parties.

"The mantra of "Brussels and Berlin" as the enemy, which the governing party has been putting forward for years, has not caught on with the majority of voters. "

Committee head Christoph von Marschall and Poland expert Kai-Olaf Lang analyze the election results.

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What happens now? There is still a long way to go from the election result to the formation of a government to a change of policy, said Kai-Olaf Lang. One of the reasons for this is the fact that in Poland, the president - who is close to the current governing party - gives the order to form a government. He has 30 days to do so.

Even after a change of government, expectations of the new government should not grow sky-high. Although cooperation with Europe will improve, structural differences of opinion will remain - even if the spectre of a polexit, which has repeatedly emerged recently, has been banished for the time being.

In Poland itself, the future government will be judged in particular by its voters on how quickly it succeeds in leading Poland back onto the path of the rule of law. However, one of the tasks of a future Tusk government will be to reunite the deeply divided country - Donald Tusk will therefore hardly be able to pursue a course that is strictly geared towards the needs of his own electorate.

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