The majority of Poles believe that life was easier under the rule of the Law and Justice Party (PiS).

A poll conducted by the Pollster Institute for the Super Express newspaper has revealed that 38 percent of respondents believe life was better under the government of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. However, 33 percent of those surveyed feel the economic situation has remained at a similar level under the current government of Donald Tusk. Only 18 percent of respondents stated that their lives are better today than they were under the previous PiS government. Krzysztof Brejza, a Member of the European Parliament from the Civic Platform (KO), commented on the survey in Polsat News’ Graffiti programme.

„I know what people said about inflation, and what they felt in their wallets when inflation was astronomical under PiS and wiped out their wages,”

the politician said, trying to avoid a direct answer and shifting responsibility elsewhere.

State of rule of law: a serious problem

People also do not view the state of the rule of law in Poland in a positive light. In the country, opposition MPs are being arrested, political purges are taking place in the courts, the prosecutor general was unlawfully dismissed, and the state television station was forcefully occupied. A significant portion of the population believes that since Tusk’s coalition came to power, democratic institutions have been severely weakened. The new government has selectively ignored court rulings and, bypassing constitutional processes, introduced policies that serve its own political agenda. It has particularly consolidated control over the prosecutor’s office and state media, while undermining the independence of the judiciary, including the Polish Constitutional Court and the National Judicial Council.

Experts warn that if these trends continue, Poland could face the danger of becoming a de facto one-party state, where the political opposition is criminalised and dissenting voices are suppressed.

Furthermore, the European Union’s current response to the situation in Poland could set a dangerous precedent for enforcing democratic principles across the continent, as the increasingly political nature of the EU’s rule-of-law mechanisms might encourage other member states to follow Poland’s lead.