Poland
The story
Poland was the first country in communist Eastern Europe where the ruling party was forced to accept partly free elections, and its party system splintered rapidly afterward — 29 parties won seats in 1991 before a 1993 threshold thinned the field. In the 2001 election, held amid recession and EU-accession pain, voters ousted the Christian Democrats and liberals: the agrarian-populist Self-Defence (Samoobrona) unexpectedly became third-largest under boxer-turned-politician Andrzej Lepper, known for potato-throwing protests, while the reactionary, antisemitic League of Polish Families (LPR) rode Catholic radio outreach into parliament. Both parties joined a PiS-led coalition in 2006 before collapsing amid scandal and disappearing by 2007.
2001–2015 · Law and Justice's rise
Law and Justice (PiS) and Civic Platform (PO), both founded in 2001 with roots in Solidarity, became Poland's dominant duo after the centre-left government collapsed following a major corruption scandal; in 2005 PiS and PO emerged as the two largest parties. PiS, founded by Jarosław Kaczyński to leverage his twin brother Lech's popularity, began as an anti-corruption "Fourth Republic" project before losing power in 2007 and returning, transformed, in 2015.
2015–2023 · Eight years of institutional conflict
PiS's return to power in 2015 triggered sustained conflict with the EU over judicial independence, media control and rule of law. President Andrzej Duda rapidly swore in judges chosen by the new PiS majority, which had rejected all five appointments made by the outgoing parliament; a new media law handed the government direct control over public broadcasting appointments. In January 2016 the European Commission opened its first-ever Rule of Law Framework dialogue, with Poland, and in December 2017 it triggered the Article 7 procedure. PiS combines centrist, welfare-oriented economic policy — expanded welfare and social transfers — with staunch social conservatism on LGBTQ rights and abortion, soft EU criticism without seeking withdrawal, and, unusually among European populists, consistent criticism of Putin's Russia.
2018– · Konfederacja and the fragmented right
Alongside PiS, a shifting constellation of nationalist and far-right parties has held seats through ever-changing alliances. Konfederacja, an electoral coalition formed in 2018, won 6.8% in 2019 and 7.2% in 2023 — a mix of radical nationalists, some antisemitic, some favouring a return to monarchy or a presidential system, united by anti-immigration and anti-abortion positions and pandemic-restriction opposition.
2023-2025 · PIS IN OPPOSITION
PiS stayed the largest party in the October 2023 election with 35.4 percent and 194 seats but lost its majority, and Donald Tusk formed a government. The new coalition’s attempts to reverse PiS-era changes met resistance from President Duda. PiS merged with Sovereign Poland in 2024, and Konfederacja won 12.1 percent in Europe. Karol Nawrocki, PiS-backed, narrowly won the 2025 presidency, giving the right a counterweight to Tusk. Kukiz’15, a 2015 anti-system movement, faded.
2025 · CONFEDERATION OF THE POLISH CROWN
Grzegorz Braun, known for Catholic integralism, antisemitic rhetoric and extinguishing Hanukkah candles in parliament in 2023, ran for president in 2025 against Konfederacja’s choice and was expelled. His Confederation of the Polish Crown (KKP) is more radical than Konfederacja: ethnonationalist, authoritarian, antisemitic, and committed to Polexit, which it declared necessary in 2025.
2026 · THE PIS SPLIT
By 2026 the right no longer revolved around PiS. Mateusz Morawiecki founded the association Rozwój Plus in April, a more economically liberal, pragmatic current that clashed with Kaczyński. When PiS ordered members to leave external associations in July, Morawiecki and dozens refused. More than thirty MPs left or were removed, forming a group of about forty. Morawiecki announced that a new party would be registered by October 2026.
EP elections
PiS has been a leading member of the ECR group since co-founding it in 2009. LPR and Self-Defence both won seats in 2004 but lost them by 2009. In 2024 PiS won 36.2% and 20 seats. Konfederacja won 12.1% and six seats, and its MEPs split, with three New Hope MEPs joining the Europe of Sovereign Nations group.
PiS
Law and Justice
- Economics Centre
- Social issues Conservative
- EU Soft euroscepticism
- Authoritarianism High
Konfederacja
Confederation Freedom and Independence
- Economics Right
- Social issues Conservative
- EU Hard euroscepticism
- Authoritarianism Medium
KKP
Confederation of the Polish Crown
- Economics Right
- Social issues Conservative
- EU Hard euroscepticism
- Authoritarianism High