In this contribution to the panel, I will describe the specific characteristics of Polish populist dismantling of constitutional checks and balances typical of liberal constitutionalism: the cumulative and comprehensive nature of assaults upon checks and balances and upon political rights; the factor of emulation (mainly, of the Hungarian example); statutory “amendments” of the Constitution; the maintenance of formal institutions untouched while eroding them of democratic content; association with a fundamental drop of civility of public discourse. I will demonstrate how all these factors, combined, have produced a powerful challenge to liberal constitutionalism, and at the end I will reflect upon the resources (if any) in Polish constitutional and legal system to reduce the nefarious effects of the populist assault. I will also explain why the notion of “unconstitutional populist backsliding” is the most accurate characterization of Polish developments since 2015.
Our 2020 Annual Conference was scheduled to be held at the University of Wrocław in Poland on July 9-11, 2020.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ICON·S Executive Committee has decided to postpone our 2020 Conference to 2021. Our next Annual Conference will take place from July 8-10, 2021, in Wrocław, Poland.
Procedural details regarding the organization of the 2021 Conference will follow in the months ahead.
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