For many observers, the electoral success of Poland's populist right-wing party Law and Justice in 2015 came as an unpleasant surprise. Even more shocking was what happened next: Jaroslaw Kaczynski's party started taking over all state institutions. It suppressed the media and launched a controversial 'reform' of the judiciary.

How was this illiberal turn possible after decades of democratic development? Has Poland cut itself off from the pro-European path, or is the Law and Justice government a passing episode in the country's history? Written by a leading Polish political commentator, this book traces the country's transformation over the past thirty years, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the government response to the refugee crisis caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It also reaches back further into the past, analysing the current situation in terms of a 'post-traumatic' reaction to centuries of statelessness.

Familiarising readers with the latest developments in Europe's largest illiberal democracy, The new politics of Poland shines a light on the broader situation in East and Central Europe and offers valuable lessons for other countries experiencing the rise of populist right-wing movements.