Grzegorz EKIERT - Party Politics : the Weakest Link in Polish Democratic Consolidation

Pouvoirs n°118 - La Pologne - septembre 2006 - p.37-57

Since 1989, Polish democracy has not been successful in consolidating its party system. This situation produces widespread popular dissatisfaction and shapes the views of the Polish population about democracy. The last elections show that Poland is in the throes of significant political re-alignment. For the first time, the ruling coalition includes the right wing extremists, nationalists, and opportunistic populists who reject the reform agenda, goals and strategies supported and implemented by all previous governments. This new coalition also seriously questions Polish commitments to the EU. Moreover, the newly formed governing coalition proposes a backward looking and parochial political agenda that may seriously endanger the process of modernization and Europeanization and the progress Poland has made during the last 15 years. In this essay, I argued that while postcommunism is generally not a fertile ground for political parties and party politics, the consolidation of the party system in Poland has faced a number of challenges that were more serious than in other postcommunist countries due to specific features of Polish political developments. For a variety of specific historical experiences and reasons, Poland has developed a highly idiosyncratic party system that is characterized by inherent instability, organizational weakness of political parties, growing tendency to political extremism and unpredictability. As a result, Polish politics promises to be a highly volatile enterprise for years to come with potentially serious consequences for the country’s economic development and its standing within the European Union. Résumé

Référence électonique : Grzegorz EKIERT, "Party Politics : the Weakest Link in Polish Democratic Consolidation", Pouvoirs, revue française d’études constitutionnelles et politiques, n°118, 2006, p.37-57. Consulté le 02-06-2012. URL : http://www.revue-pouvoirs.fr/Party-Politics-the-Weakest-Link-in.html