Social Europe

  • EU Forward Project
  • YouTube
  • Podcast
  • Books
  • Newsletter
  • Membership

Poland’s Conservative Nationalism And A Multi-speed Europe

Gavin Rae 22nd March 2017

Gavin Rae

Gavin Rae

The European Union has just had a taste of Polish politics. The country’s internal political divisions burst onto the European scene, when the ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS) attempted to block the re-election of its compatriot Donald Tusk as President of the European Council. The Polish government not only failed in this endeavour, but failed to win the support of any other country, including its supposed conservative ally, Hungary. Alone and frustrated, the Polish Prime Minister, Beata Szydło, engaged in a war of words with other European leaders before refusing to sign any of the summit’s documents. As one of the largest beneficiaries of EU funds and open borders, what is the Polish government playing at and what does it hope to gain?

For seasoned observers of Polish politics, the actions of Szydło at the European Council were nothing new. Under the leadership of Jarosław Kaczyński, PiS has adopted a political style of augmenting conflicts and widening divisions. This strategy has served them well, overtaking Citizens’ Platform (PO – formerly led by Tusk) in 2015 to become the only party in modern Polish history to win an overall parliamentary majority. Its candidate Andrzej Duda also won the presidential elections that year. PiS has a zero sum strategy, seeing itself as the sole defender of Polish interests and painting its opponents as acting in the interests of foreign governments, corrupt elites or hidden Communist agents.

During its current term in office, PiS has consistently come into conflict with Brussels, which has accused it of breaking democratic standards. Facing such criticism, it often promotes its self-crafted image as the defender of the nation, at times exploiting historical resentments towards Germany. Tusk’s re-election was a case of domestic and European politics coming together to create the perfect diplomatic storm.

Both Tusk and Kaczyński were relatively marginal figures in the country’s opposition movement during Communism. They served in the country’s right-wing coalition government during the late 1990s and before the 2005 elections it was widely believed that their parties (PO and PiS) would form a coalition government. However, with the collapse of the left vote, these two parties have come to dominate Polish politics and relations between them have become ever more hostile and personal. Sections of the right-wing conservative media and politicians have long denigrated Tusk as being connected to Germany, even insinuating that his grandfather voluntarily served in the Wehrmacht during the Second World War. These tensions reached new levels after the Smoleńsk tragedy in 2010, in which President Lech Kaczyński (Jarosław’s twin brother) was a victim. The leadership of PiS question the official version of events that led to the crash and a large majority of its electorate believe that it was the result of a deliberate attack. Furthermore, Jarosław has claimed that “Donald Tusk belongs to those politicians who are morally responsible for the Smoleńsk catastrophe and should disappear from the political scene.”

The recent summit skirmishes can be seen as part of this ongoing rivalry between PiS/PO and Kaczyński/Tusk. PiS remains ahead in the opinion polls and since the 2015 elections PO has struggled to rebuild itself as a credible opposition. However, in recent weeks it has regained its standing as the main opposition party. Tusk remains one of the country’s most effective politicians and even from afar he exerts some influence on Polish politics. Rumours continue to circulate that he may return to Poland before the next presidential or parliamentary elections and lead the opposition against PiS. The recent actions by PiS seem to have backfired, boosting Tusk’s reputation at home and making him a greater political threat than he had been before.

The actions of PiS also reflect wider uncertainties facing the EU in the wake of the Brexit referendum vote. With Britain heading towards the exit door, Poland is losing one of its closest allies and finds itself more isolated than ever. This is partly self-imposed, due to the government’s authoritarian actions at home and refusal to cooperate with other EU states in dealing with such issues as accepting refugees and fighting climate change. However, any Polish government would have to face the prospect of the country being pushed further to the peripheries of a changing Europe.

Since the global financial crisis broke the temporary unity between the surplus and deficit states in the Eurozone, the future of the EU in its present guise has been thrown into doubt. Poland was the only country in the EU to avoid an economic recession, as it managed to significantly raise its rate of public investment owing to the large inflow of EU funds. Also, as it was not tied to the Euro, the Polish Złoty depreciated, raising the competitiveness of its exports. The latest proposal to create a multi-speed EU may close off this previous course of economic development and reduce the room for any progressive pro-European alternative gaining ground in Poland.



Don't miss out on cutting-edge thinking.


Join tens of thousands of informed readers and stay ahead with our insightful content. It's free.



At the European Council, Francois Hollande responded to Szydło by saying that ‘you have your rules, we have our structural funds’. Poland has been the largest recipient of funds from the past two EU budgets; and is due to receive €100bn under the current budget that runs to 2020. However, if Britain leaves the EU then the pot will be reduced, which could see a smaller share going to Poland. Also, it is almost certain that Poland will receive considerably fewer funds from the budget beginning in 2021 and may even become a net-payer.

It remains unclear what impact the creation of a ‘multi-speed’ EU would have on the distribution of funds and where it would leave those economies that are not part of the leading group. It can be assumed that those wishing to enter this elite club will have to first adopt the Euro. This therefore places new pressures on countries like Poland, with the currency question already returning to the centre of political debate.

Although Polish society remains staunchly pro-EU, public support for the Euro has dropped dramatically in recent years, however, with around 70% opposing its adoption. The crisis in Eurozone economies overturned the view that the Euro would help to guarantee economic and financial stability. The government would be compelled to introduce a new wave of austerity policies to meet the membership criteria.

Poland may be faced with the choice of becoming a second-class EU member or having to endure a painful process of adjustment to gain at least a voice at the table of the elite’s new club. PiS may well be gambling that they will be able to capitalise on this new political dichotomy. It has recently introduced some pro-social reforms, such as providing new child benefits for all families with more than one child. This is the first significant act of social redistribution in over 20 years and it has helped PiS to cement its support. If the pro-European alternative were to be that of adopting the Euro in conditions of reduced structural funds and more austerity, then this will simply play into the hands of PiS. They will then be able to further promote themselves as being both the patriotic party and the people that can be best trusted to protect living standards.

No serious politician in Poland advocates the country leaving the EU. However, the EU risks marginalising the pro-European political forces in the country, unless it offers the prospect of a progressive alternative to conservative nationalism. This would entail the EU rejuvenating the project of creating a social Europe through significantly expanding its budget, instigating a programme of pan-European investment and seeking further economic and social convergence. The option of a multi-speed EU will only increase divisions and inequalities and help to build the support of conservative nationalists in Poland and beyond.

Gavin Rae

Gavin Rae is a sociologist in Warsaw. He has written extensively on the political and social changes in Poland and central and eastern Europe, including Poland's Return to Capitalism: From the Socialist Bloc to the European Union and Public Capital: The Commodification of Poland's Welfare State.

Harvard University Press Advertisement

Social Europe Ad - Promoting European social policies

We need your help.

Support Social Europe for less than €5 per month and help keep our content freely accessible to everyone. Your support empowers independent publishing and drives the conversations that matter. Thank you very much!

Social Europe Membership

Click here to become a member

Most Recent Articles

u4219834676 bcba 6b2b3e733ce2 1 The End of an Era: What’s Next After Globalisation?Apostolos Thomadakis
u4219834674a bf1a 0f45ab446295 0 Germany’s Subcontracting Ban in the Meat IndustryŞerife Erol, Anneliese Kärcher, Thorsten Schulten and Manfred Walser
u4219834dafae1dc3 2 EU’s New Fiscal Rules: Balancing Budgets with Green and Digital AmbitionsPhilipp Heimberger
u42198346d1f0048 1 The Dangerous Metaphor of Unemployment “Scarring”Tom Boland and Ray Griffin
u4219834675 4ff1 998a 404323c89144 1 Why Progressive Governments Keep Failing — And How to Finally Win Back VotersMariana Mazzucato

Most Popular Articles

u4219834647f 0894ae7ca865 3 Europe’s Businesses Face a Quiet Takeover as US Investors CapitaliseTej Gonza and Timothée Duverger
u4219834674930082ba55 0 Portugal’s Political Earthquake: Centrist Grip Crumbles, Right AscendsEmanuel Ferreira
u421983467e58be8 81f2 4326 80f2 d452cfe9031e 1 “The Universities Are the Enemy”: Why Europe Must Act NowBartosz Rydliński
u42198346761805ea24 2 Trump’s ‘Golden Era’ Fades as European Allies Face Harsh New RealityFerenc Németh and Peter Kreko
startupsgovernment e1744799195663 Governments Are Not StartupsMariana Mazzucato
u421986cbef 2549 4e0c b6c4 b5bb01362b52 0 American SuicideJoschka Fischer
u42198346769d6584 1580 41fe 8c7d 3b9398aa5ec5 1 Why Trump Keeps Winning: The Truth No One AdmitsBo Rothstein
u421983467 a350a084 b098 4970 9834 739dc11b73a5 1 America Is About to Become the Next BrexitJ Bradford DeLong
u4219834676ba1b3a2 b4e1 4c79 960b 6770c60533fa 1 The End of the ‘West’ and Europe’s FutureGuillaume Duval
u421983462e c2ec 4dd2 90a4 b9cfb6856465 1 The Transatlantic Alliance Is Dying—What Comes Next for Europe?Frank Hoffer

Eurofound advertisement

Ageing workforce
The evolution of working conditions in Europe

This episode of Eurofound Talks examines the evolving landscape of European working conditions, situated at the nexus of profound technological transformation.

Mary McCaughey speaks with Barbara Gerstenberger, Eurofound's Head of Unit for Working Life, who leverages insights from the 35-year history of the European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS).

Listen to the episode for free. Also make sure to subscribe to Eurofound Talks so you don’t miss an episode!

LISTEN NOW

Foundation for European Progressive Studies Advertisement

Spring Issues

The Summer issue of The Progressive Post is out!


It is time to take action and to forge a path towards a Socialist renewal.


European Socialists struggle to balance their responsibilities with the need to take bold positions and actions in the face of many major crises, while far-right political parties are increasingly gaining ground. Against this background, we offer European progressive forces food for thought on projecting themselves into the future.


Among this issue’s highlights, we discuss the transformative power of European Social Democracy, examine the far right’s efforts to redesign education systems to serve its own political agenda and highlight the growing threat of anti-gender movements to LGBTIQ+ rights – among other pressing topics.

READ THE MAGAZINE

Hans Böckler Stiftung Advertisement

WSI Report

WSI Minimum Wage Report 2025

The trend towards significant nominal minimum wage increases is continuing this year. In view of falling inflation rates, this translates into a sizeable increase in purchasing power for minimum wage earners in most European countries. The background to this is the implementation of the European Minimum Wage Directive, which has led to a reorientation of minimum wage policy in many countries and is thus boosting the dynamics of minimum wages. Most EU countries are now following the reference values for adequate minimum wages enshrined in the directive, which are 60% of the median wage or 50 % of the average wage. However, for Germany, a structural increase is still necessary to make progress towards an adequate minimum wage.

DOWNLOAD HERE

S&D Group in the European Parliament advertisement

Cohesion Policy

S&D Position Paper on Cohesion Policy post-2027: a resilient future for European territorial equity

Cohesion Policy aims to promote harmonious development and reduce economic, social and territorial disparities between the regions of the Union, and the backwardness of the least favoured regions with a particular focus on rural areas, areas affected by industrial transition and regions suffering from severe and permanent natural or demographic handicaps, such as outermost regions, regions with very low population density, islands, cross-border and mountain regions.

READ THE FULL POSITION PAPER HERE

ETUI advertisement

HESA Magazine Cover

With a comprehensive set of relevant indicators, presented in 85 graphs and tables, the 2025 Benchmarking Working Europe report examines how EU policies can reconcile economic, social and environmental goals to ensure long-term competitiveness. Considered a key reference, this publication is an invaluable resource for supporting European social dialogue.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Social Europe

Our Mission

Team

Article Submission

Advertisements

Membership

Social Europe Archives

Themes Archive

Politics Archive

Economy Archive

Society Archive

Ecology Archive

Miscellaneous

RSS Feed

Legal Disclosure

Privacy Policy

Copyright

Social Europe ISSN 2628-7641

BlueskyXWhatsApp