The EPP and Poland: A Struggle for Freedom During the Cold War

This article examines the significance of the Polish case during the Cold War within the strategic agenda of the European People’s Party (EPP) by reconstructing the geopolitical dimensions of human rights discourse. It highlights how the rise of the Solidarity movement and Poland’s democratic transition became pivotal to European integration. Europe’s Christian Democrats have consistently stressed the importance of human rights, blending moral, religious, and political advocacy. Drawing on archival documents and European Parliament debates, the study argues that the EPP, leveraging its numerical dominance following the 1979 direct elections, positioned human rights as a means to foster internal cohesion and expand external influence, particularly in Eastern Europe. By analysing the intersection of human rights advocacy and geopolitical strategy, this article underscores their central role in shaping the post-Cold War European order and defining the European Union’s identity as a champion of democracy, freedom, and solidarity.