Deconstructing Polish Euro‐Enthusiasm: The Illusory Incongruence of Party Narratives With Public Opinion

Maria Wincławska and Anna Pacześniak
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Maria Wincławska: Faculty of Political Science and Security Studies, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Poland
Anna Pacześniak: Institute of European Studies, University of Wroclaw, Poland

Politics and Governance, 2026, vol. 14

Abstract: Over 20 years have passed since Poland’s accession to the EU. While the EU is no longer perceived by Poles as the “promised land,” Eurobarometer surveys still indicate that Poles remain among the most pro-European societies. However, similar to other European countries, Poland has encountered growing support for Eurosceptic parties, increasing criticism of the EU across the political spectrum, and a general shift towards the right in its political discourse. This article applies salient theory and utilises a method of deductive thematic analysis to examine the narratives of relevant political parties regarding the EU across three electoral campaigns in Poland: the parliamentary campaign in 2023, the European Parliament campaign in 2024, and the presidential campaign in 2025. The study aimed to explore how the political parties framed the EU in their electoral narratives and identify the key themes they employed. The findings revealed that, while in the 2023 elections the parties in opposition to the then-ruling United Right presented their own pro-EUness as one of the key elements of their political image, in the subsequent 2024 and 2025 elections almost all of the parties incorporated elements of Eurosceptic narratives in their campaigns or took more critical stands on some of the EU’s policies. These findings suggest that even when they adopted different frames—either presenting the EU as an opportunity or a threat—the parties were strategically responsive to voter expectations and evolving public sentiment.

Keywords: Euroscepticism; congruence; Poland; political parties (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cog:poango:v14:y:2026:a:11082

DOI: 10.17645/pag.11082

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