The Polish government’s efforts to prevent the European Union from enforcing “rule of law” conditionality on future funding is not just a reflection of its illiberal nature, says Sławomir Sierakowski (right), founder of the Krytyka Polityczna movement. Rather, the ruling coalition is in the throes of a subtle but all-consuming fight over who will emerge as the future face of Polish populism, he writes for Project Syndicate.
Over the past five years, the EU has repeatedly failed to prevent PiS from subjugating independent institutions, including the judiciary and the media, and laying the foundation for an authoritarian “illiberal democracy,” adds Sierakowski, a former NED Reagan-Fascell fellow. In finally responding with the rule-of-law mechanism, the EU is testing not just Poland but also itself. Like Poland, it may ultimately choose economic benefits over the rule of law – and regret it in the long run.
The Polish government’s efforts to prevent the European Union from enforcing “rule of law” conditionality on future funding is not just a reflection of its illiberal nature, former @NEDemocracy fellow @sieraKP writes for @ProSyn https://t.co/Z6IcMqthNl
— Democracy Digest (@demdigest) December 10, 2020