After eight years of the nationalist Law and Justice party's rule, which has significantly undermined the judiciary and democratic institutions, Poland is now at a crossroads. The country anticipates a change in leadership, with centrist Donald Tusk from the opposition stepping into the role of Poland's new prime minister. Tusk's pledge is clear: restore the rule of law and realign with pro-European forces in Brussels. However, the task is far from straightforward.

Join us for an in-depth discussion with Dr. Mańko on the political and legal challenges that the new Polish government will encounter in its efforts to restore judicial independence. In addition to the immediate challenges at hand, Dr. Mańko will consider the historical developments of Polish society, its legal institutions, and the legal and political culture that has shaped the country.

Dr. Rafał Mańko is a legal researcher at the European Parliamentary Research Service in Brussels where he specializes in the rule of law and EU civil justice measures. He is also a Research Affiliate at the Democracy Institute of the Central European University. In his academic work as legal theorist, Rafał blends legal philosophy, sociology of law and comparative legal history to study the multifaceted relationships between law and the political, with a particular focus on adjudication, on the one hand, and the continuity of legal institutions despite political transformations, on the other.