Can Poland and the EU resolve the rule of law crisis?

In recent months the spectre of ‘Polexit’ has been haunting Europe. Poland and the EU have become embroiled in a dispute over the rule of law and this week the European court announced that it would be fining Poland one million euros every day until it abolished its controversial disciplinary chamber for judges, leading some to speculate that Poland could be heading towards leaving the European Union. But is Polexit really a risk? Possibly not. But one thing is clear: the crisis between Warsaw and Brussels will not build up for much longer without either a compromise or drastic consequences.

Before considering the possibility of Polexit, it must first be remembered that the vast majority of Poles are clearly in favour of remaining in the EU and the country, as one of the main recipients of EU funds, is in dire need of Covid subsidies. Polexit is not a realistic option for the Polish government despite its current opposition to Brussels.