No. 154 - Polish political elites on the future of the European Union

‘Institute for Western Affairs' Bulletin (No.154/2013): Prof. Zbigniew Mazur, "Polish political elites on the future of the European Union".

Reaching a consensus on European affairs is far from easy. Despite the approval of EU membership and the popular belief that Poland should pursue an active policy towards the EU and NATO, pronounced differences of opinion persist between the government and the opposition. By and large, such differences boil down to varying assessments of Poland's options in the international arena. The Polish Law and Justice party places more emphasis on sovereignty and autonomy of the Polish state as well as “national interests” or “raison d’état” while the Civic Platform espouses dialogue and compromise. The Government (Civic Platform) claims that Poland has already become a significant player, especially within the European Union, whereas the opposition (Law & Justice) believe the country is still to gain a significant say in international affairs.