Can Poland's Backsliding Be Stopped?

Viewed until recently as an exemplar of democratic transformation, Poland is increasingly seen as a leading case of democratic backsliding thanks to a series of illiberal measures pushed through by the governing Law and Justice (PiS) party. PiS ascended to power in 2015. It has used to its advantage a politicized conspiracy theory about the crash of a government plane outside Smolensk in 2010; a dual power structure; and a narrative of "sovereign democracy." Since 2015, it has sought to make systemic changes to Poland's political landscape, for instance by weakening institutional checks and balances through changes to the judicial system, pressuring media outlets, and replacing the boards of the country's public companies. Currently, Poland's decentralized political structure remains the most important counterweight to the country's rising illiberalism.