by Matthew Graff | Mar 18, 2018 | University of Pennsylvania
Poland is perhaps the most well-known nation-state undergoing serious democratic erosion, in part because it is Eastern Europe’s strongest economy and seen as a model for other post-Soviet states of the region. The crisis over the Constitutional Tribunal, Poland’s...
by BENJAMIN LEE | Mar 15, 2018 | University of California, Los Angeles
On January 15, 2018, Dariusz Zawistowski, the president of Poland’s National Council of the Judiciary (KRS), the body in charge of maintaining the impartiality of Polish courts, resigned from his position “as a sign of protest” in response to the Law...
by JUSTIN JOOST VAN BEURDEN | Mar 15, 2018 | University of California, Los Angeles
Once viewed as a source of inspiration for countries transitioning to democracy, Poland now appears as if it is representative of another political trend in Eastern Europe: democratic backsliding. Poland, along with Hungary and other countries in the region, is...
by Carolyn Stephens | Mar 15, 2018 | University of California, Los Angeles
In 2016, the populist Law and Justice party (PiS) of Poland gained a majority in the lower house of parliament without a coalition. The party consequently used their legislative power to adjust the judicial and electoral systems in their own favor. This legislation...
by ERIC RONALD SANGRET | Mar 15, 2018 | University of California, Los Angeles
Democratic backsliding is increasingly becoming a concern in Eastern Europe, with some countries being issued harsh warnings from the European Union (EU). In the last three years, Poland has seen gradual, but clear, signs of backsliding toward autocratic policies and...
