From the poster boy of Europeanization to the sick man of Europe: thirty years (1990–2019) of Poland’s European policy

Abstract

ABSTRACT The Eurosceptic turnabout which has taken place in the CEE constitutes one of the most significant factors weakening the cohesion of the EU. In this group, Poland is the key element in view of its size and the status of the ‘poster boy’ of Europeanization acquired in the previous years. This paper analyses the major trends in the European policy of the Polish governments in the long-term period of 1990–2018 on the basis of standardized data (addresses by the Polish ministers of foreign affairs) and a quantitative analysis. These data also shed light on the essence of changes taking place in Poland’s EU policy. What appeared to be important was both the change in the country’s status after joining the EU, which limits the pressure of the EU (conditionality), and the arrival in power of populist, Eurosceptic parties.