Lecture
European Strategic Dialogue seminar series: Redefining the EU-Poland relationship
- Date
- Monday 18 December 2023
- Time
- Address
- Online, via Zoom
The outcome of the parliamentary elections in Poland, with a pro-EU opposition victory, signifies a potential shift in the EU-Poland relationship. Where the previous PiS government had a tendency towards challenging the EU to the point of questioning its very basis, a government led by Donald Tusk will introduce significant changes in this dynamic. It is important to recognize that this new European path will not resolve all areas of contention. A Poland more closely aligned with the EU will continue to be a challenging partner. It remains to be seen whether Tusk will be able to deliver on his promises. He faces a politicised constitutional court, and in PiS ally Duda a president with veto powers.
Poland’s commitment to European security and its role in the EU’s defense initiatives are crucial for the EU. Poland’s geography makes it a crucial player in Europe’s stability and security, highlighting the critical nature of this evolving EU-Poland relationship. This raises the question of how Poland’s new political direction will influence its role within the EU, and what the implications are for the EU member states in fostering and developing this relationship. In this new episode of the European Strategic Dialogue, we will explore these and other questions facing Poland and the EU at the dawn of this new leadership.
Panelists include Pierre Buhler (French Ambassador (ret.) to Poland, Rolf Nikel (German Ambassador (ret.) to Poland), Joep van Lit (PhD Candidate in Empirical Political Science, Radboud University) and Dr. Mieńkowska-Norkiene of the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies of the University of Warsaw.