2 The tsunami of populism
-
Jarosław Kuisz
Abstract
This chapter details the early phase of the Law and Justice government. After coming to power, the new government undertook a series of radical reforms, social, economic, and judicial. Some of these were not unexpected, but others seemed to come out of the blue, bearing no relationship to the platform on which Law and Justice had been elected. Among the most shocking were the steps taken to paralyse the Constitutional Tribunal, the most important court in the land. Although the liberal Constitution of 1997 was not explicitly revoked, through political manoeuvring, Kaczyński succeeded in changing constitutional reality in Poland. Equally important, Law and Justice took public mass media under government control, purging television and radio channels of critical voices and threatening the freedom of independent media. Finally, they took steps to change Poland’s position on the international scene, distancing the country from the EU and strengthening ties with other illiberal democracies.
Abstract
This chapter details the early phase of the Law and Justice government. After coming to power, the new government undertook a series of radical reforms, social, economic, and judicial. Some of these were not unexpected, but others seemed to come out of the blue, bearing no relationship to the platform on which Law and Justice had been elected. Among the most shocking were the steps taken to paralyse the Constitutional Tribunal, the most important court in the land. Although the liberal Constitution of 1997 was not explicitly revoked, through political manoeuvring, Kaczyński succeeded in changing constitutional reality in Poland. Equally important, Law and Justice took public mass media under government control, purging television and radio channels of critical voices and threatening the freedom of independent media. Finally, they took steps to change Poland’s position on the international scene, distancing the country from the EU and strengthening ties with other illiberal democracies.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- Preface vii
- Introduction 1
- Epigraph to Part I 20
- 1 Breakthrough? The 2015 elections 21
- 2 The tsunami of populism 46
- 3 True leaders of the nation 77
- 4 Toothless liberals? The current state of democratic opposition 99
- Introduction to Part II 126
- 5 The Polish–Jewish relationship debate 131
- 6 The economic transformation debate 146
- 7 The never- ending de-communisation debate 161
- Introduction to Part III 180
- 8 Sources of post- traumatic sovereignty 187
- 9 Beyond the occupation mentality 206
- 10 Post-traumatic sovereignty strikes back 231
- 11 A kidnapped West in the European Union 243
- Conclusion 261
- Notes 270
- Acknowledgements 346
- Index 349
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- Preface vii
- Introduction 1
- Epigraph to Part I 20
- 1 Breakthrough? The 2015 elections 21
- 2 The tsunami of populism 46
- 3 True leaders of the nation 77
- 4 Toothless liberals? The current state of democratic opposition 99
- Introduction to Part II 126
- 5 The Polish–Jewish relationship debate 131
- 6 The economic transformation debate 146
- 7 The never- ending de-communisation debate 161
- Introduction to Part III 180
- 8 Sources of post- traumatic sovereignty 187
- 9 Beyond the occupation mentality 206
- 10 Post-traumatic sovereignty strikes back 231
- 11 A kidnapped West in the European Union 243
- Conclusion 261
- Notes 270
- Acknowledgements 346
- Index 349
