Next Left country case study – Poland

Join us for the online launch of the latest volume in the Next Left Country Case Studies series, a flagship publication of the Next Left Research Programme by FEPS and the Karl-Renner-Institut. This series offers in-depth, comparative insights into the evolving landscape of social democratic parties across Europe and beyond, exploring their organisational transformations, electoral trajectories, and future prospects.

This new edition turns the spotlight on Poland with Social Democracy in Poland: From top division to the third league and the new play-offs by Anna Pacześniak. The volume offers a compelling and richlydetailed analysis of the journey of Polish social democracy: from the post-1989 transition and the emergence of a governing force in the early 2000s, through electoral setbacks and parliamentary exclusion in 2015, to its return to government in 2019. It examines the internal dynamics of party splits and mergers, shifting electoral alliances, and evolving relationships with trade unions and civil society, situating these developments within broader questions of identity, strategy, and ideological renewal. Bringing together political analysis and historical perspective, the publication provides both a critical account of Poland’s social democratic experience and broader lessons for progressive parties across Europe.

If you are interested in joining this book launch, please send an email to Iris Vijverberg, FEPS Project Officer (iris.vijverberg@feps-europe.eu).