The Polish “Good Change” – What does it mean for relations with Germany and the rest of Europe?

Since winning a majority in October 2015, the Law and Justice Party (PiS) has implemented a policy of ‘Good Change’ in Poland, which limits the competences of the Polish Constitutional Court and has drawn vocal criticism from the EU and member states, especially Germany. In this Policy Brief, Adam Balcer warns of an ‘Orbanisation’ of Poland as the nationalistic and right-wing PiS steers the country increasingly towards a Hungarian model of illiberal democracy, and assesses the implications of this transition for relations with Germany and the rest of Europe. He also writes that Brexit could stoke fresh anti-EU sentiment in an already Eurosceptic Poland, and encourage further divergence from Germany and the Union itself.