The Paradox of Polish Euroscepticism: Explaining the Undercurrent Discontent with Europe of the Most Enthusiastic Supporter of the European Project

The Polish society remains one of the most euroenthusiastic, with 89% of the Polish population expressing support for the membership in the EU (CBOS, 2014). Yet, the latest EP elections in Poland have turned in 4 openly anti-European MEPs, whereas almost half of the seats were won by representatives of Eurosceptic parties. There are more paradoxes to the Polish case. While the biggest opposition party claims that the European integration has gone too far, it supports the creation of a European army or quick accession of Ukraine to the EU. This article analyses the driving forces behind the Polish euroscepticism. It draws on the results of focus groups research supplemented by the results of existing surveys and other studies. Attitudes of the European societies towards the EU are a fundamental factor in the analysis of Europe’s future. In this context, it is especially important to analyse the undercurrent euroscepticism of the societies that are most pro-European, at least on the declarative level. Also, the existing debate on euroscepticism has largely been focused on the “old Europe”, where the discontent with the “Big Bang” enlargement of 2004-2007 has been one of the principle causes of the rise of euroscepticism. Yet, euroscepticism is doing well also in the “New Europe”, but its causes and ideological manifestations are often different than in Old Member States. A study of the Polish euroscepticism and its social foundations will allow us fuller knowledge and understanding of this phenomenon.