The Rule of Law in Poland Requires Special Attention of Citizens

April 19, 2024

Author: Mieczyslaw Bak, President of IPED and Member of FEDN Steering Committee

Sejm Parliament building in Warsaw, Poland. [Photo: iStock.com/Grand Warszawski]

Last year, Poland held extraordinarily consequential parliamentary elections where the conservative Law and Justice party (PiS) lost its majority for the first time since 2015.

During 2016, PiS, with a parliamentary majority and a supportive president, tightened its control over state institutions, especially the Constitutional Court and public media. Far-reaching and controversial changes were introduced in the judiciary, civil service, and education system. This troubling process continued after the next parliamentary election in 2019, which involved tightening political control over the judiciary as well as local and regional media. The government also curbed the independence of nongovernmental organizations.

This democratic regression and dismantling of the rule of law (ROL) set all eyes on Poland at the end of last year leading up to the October 2023 election. With record turnout of over 74%, Polish voters demonstrated their support of democratic principles by showing up to vote and using their voices to shape the future of the country.

Against this backdrop, CIPE supported a new project in Poland, “The Rule of Law – Our Future” through the Institute for Private Enterprise and Democracy (IPED) based in Warsaw between July 2023 to January 2024. The project educated voters about the importance of the rule of law and encouraged youth participation in the election.

Education

To make youth aware of the importance of the rule of law, especially in terms of economic development and societal welfare, IPED gathered over 200 students and youth NGOs to show young people how violating the ROL can affect entrepreneurs and citizens by fueling democratic backsliding and other far-reaching consequences within the country. IPED also worked to encourage young people to participate in the parliamentary elections in the fall of 2023.

To educate youth about ROL and the importance of voting, IPED developed ten articles published every 2-3 weeks (linked in Polish) starting in August 2023. Through sharing the articles through email, social media, and the project website, the articles were able to target 162,000 people.

Results

At the end of the project, IPED conducted a short survey to measure the effects of its work and find out whether its publications have contributed to increased awareness and knowledge of the ROL among youth. IPED sent the survey to all student and youth NGOs that had received the published articles from IPED. Requests to fill it out were also posted on Facebook groups, where IPED published links to the articles.

In the end, IPED received 72 completed questionnaires; 92% of those who responded to the survey are between the ages of 18-35, 8% are over 35.

For 88.9% of respondents the rule of law in Poland required special attention of citizens. None said “No,” or “I am indifferent to it.”

Survey question: In your opinion, does the rule of law in Poland require special attention of citizens? Pie chart with results: 51.4% "Yes, it is very important;" 37.5% "Rather yes;" 11.1% "Hard to say;" 0% "No;" 0% "I am indifferent to it."

According to 97.2% of respondents, there should be more emphasis on education about the rule of law in Poland for building overall social welfare.

Survey question: Do you think there should be more emphasis on education about the rule of law in Poland for building overall social welfare? Pie chart with results: 58.3% "Yes, there is still a lack of knowledge on the subject;" 38.9% "Rather yes;" 2.8% "Rather not necessary;" 0% "No;" 0% "I'm indifferent."

Almost 89% of respondents think campaigns should be implemented in Poland to encourage young people to participate in elections.

Survey question: Do you think campaigns should be implemented in Poland to encourage young people to participate in elections? Pie chart with results: 70.8% "Yes;" 18.1% "Yes, but they are not needed at the moment;" 5.6% "Hard to say;" 4.2% "No;" 1.4% "Such activities do not make much sense to me."

70.8% of respondents stated that the articles developed by IPED contributed to their knowledge on ROL.

Survey question: Did the articles developed by the Institute within the framework of the Rule of Law - Our Future project contribute to your knowledge? Pie chart with results: 50% "Yes;" 20.8% "Yes, they helped me better understand the problem;" 19.4% "I have not read the articles;" 8.3% "It is difficult to say;" 1.4% "No."

Lessons Learned

IPED’s experience and observations during project implementation have led to the following conclusions:

There is a significant interest among young people in the topic of the rule of law in Poland.
It is evident that youth are highly aware about the current extent of societal discord and the role politicians play in their lives.
There is still a need for activities that raise awareness among Poles, including young people, as to why the restoration and maintenance of the rule of law, unity, and social peace is crucial to the prosperity of the country and future generations.

Thanks to the activities undertaken with CIPE’s support, IPED encouraged more young people to become informed about the rule of law and the importance of voting prior to the parliamentary elections on October 15, 2023. The elections featured record turnout: 74.4% overall, and 70.9% in the 18-29 age group.

The rule of law is fundamental to democracy, as it ensures that governments are held accountable, and all citizens are held to the same standards. However, elections are not enough to uphold the integrity of the rule of law. Rather, it requires continued attention and sometimes difficult reforms, especially in places where democratic backsliding has been profound.

For more information, view the IPED website at https://iped.pl and the project page at www.praworzadnosc.iped.pl.