The Law and Justice Party and Poland’s turn to the right
The prospect has now emerged of PiS becoming the established party of government in Poland. It is possible that Kaczyński and his party could repeat the experience of Hungary, whereby a conservative right-wing party is able to marginalise the liberal opposition and weak left, whilst successively gaining more power over the levers of the state and creating a more authoritarian form of government in the country. What is different in Poland is that the government is in alliance with and is partly reliant upon the Catholic Church. This institution holds huge power and sway over a section of the electorate and is seeking to entrench Poland’s conservative shift.