Ideological Divisions and Politicization of Foreign and Security Policy: Polish Political Parties’ Responses to the War in Ukraine

The article examines Polish political parties’ reactions to the war in Ukraine. The statements of Polish decision-makers and opposition demonstrate that, contrary to expectations derived from literature, the ‘rally round the flag’ effect was short and the war became quickly politicized. The analysis indicates that region-specific ideological divisions between Polish liberals and conservatives and parties’ different understanding of national interest led to politicization of foreign and security policy. The article strives to answer broader questions about domestic constraints on foreign and security policy and points to the specificity of party politics in international matters in Central and Eastern Europe.