Poland and the Baltic States: A Preference for a Renewed West Published: 8 January 2021 Analysis The vision of a strategically autonomous Europe is not met with great enthusiasm in Poland and the Baltic states. On the contrary, the preferences between Warsaw, Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn point to a renewal of the transatlantic bond and a stronger NATO in order to contain the challenges represented by Russia and China. By Justyna Gotkowska
What to make of Hungary’s budget veto? Published: 7 December 2020 Analysis Considering the current politico-economic situation in the EU, Hungary does stand a chance of achieving some of its immediate goals. So, the key question is: What does Budapest stand to gain by using its veto? By Patrik Szicherle
“A declaration of war”. Poland introduces almost complete abortion ban Published: 26 October 2020 Commentary “The hell of women is in full swing” is is one of the most pertinent comments on the decision of the governmentally controlled Polish Constitutional Court to further restrict the anyway very limited public access of women to abortions in Poland. Although the measure had been part of the public discourse for years, the timing for its implementation comes partly as a surprise. What does this tell us about the further prospects for the rule of the Law and Justice party? By Gert Röhrborn
Poland wants no refugees – NGO’s critical look at the New Pact on Migration and Asylum Published: 20 October 2020 Commentary Despite its tough public rhetoric, the Polish government might turn out to be more flexible behind closed doors regarding the New Pact, to prevent embarrassing defeats on issues that are far more important from a domestic policy point of view, such as the rule of law. By Joanna Maria Stolarek
Poland wants no refugees – NGO’s critical look at the New Pact on Migration and Asylum Published: 20 October 2020 Commentary Despite its tough public rhetoric, the Polish government might turn out to be more flexible behind closed doors regarding the New Pact, to prevent embarrassing defeats on issues that are far more important from a domestic policy point of view, such as the rule of law. By Joanna Maria Stolarek
Poland remains divided Published: 24 July 2020 Commentary Following a suspense-packed election thriller, Poland has elected its new president. What seemed like it would be a walkover for the incumbent, Andrzej Duda, turned out to be an attempt to shift the direction of Polish domestic affairs. By Joanna Maria Stolarek
The Controversy of Memories - 75 years after the end of the Second World War in Europe Published: 7 May 2020 Film "Different wars: National History Textbooks on the Second World War" - this was the title of a travelling exhibition by the EU-Russia Civil Society Forum. It toured 22 cities in the EU and Russia over the last four years. It showed how current textbooks for secondary schools depict the Second World War in Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and the Czech Republic. The short film accompanying the exhibition will be released on 7 May.
Poland: Following the European elections, PiS maintains its dominant position in spite of the changing political scene Published: 6 June 2019 Background The European elections held on 26th May 2019 confirmed what was feared: The national-conservative party Prawo i Sprawiedliwość (Law and Justice, PiS) won by a clear majority. What are the reasons behind this election result and how has the political mood in the country changed? By Irene Hahn-Fuhr
European election campaign in Poland: test run for autumn general elections Published: 20 May 2019 Background The figures speak for themselves: 15 years after joining the European community, 91 percent of Poles support EU membership, with only five percent against. According to 78 percent of those surveyed, the consequences are overwhelmingly positive. Moreover, 56 percent feel they are Europeans, an increase of around 13 percent compared to 2014. By Irene Hahn-Fuhr
Brexit in Poland. Irrelevant but divisive Published: 11 April 2019 Given how consequential it may be for hundreds of thousands of Poles living in the United Kingdom, the question of Brexit is strangely absent from the public debate just before European elections. By Łukasz Pawłowski
