Populism and Right-Wing Conservative Projects in the Polish Party System (1990–2025)

The article analyses the origins and trajectory of populist projects in the Polish party system in 1990–2025, demonstrating that in this country populism emerged as a result of the radicalisation of mainstream parties. Growing tensions in Polish society, dissatisfied with the outcomes of systemic transformations and neoliberal reforms, led to rising discontent with both national elites and the Brussels bureaucracy. The inability of mainstream political forces to overcome accumulated crises undermined their authority and contributed to the growing popularity of radical right-wing political ideologies. It is noted that 2015 became a turning point, when the migration crisis brought issues of security and sovereignty to the forefront, ensuring the electoral success of a right-wing conservative agenda. This shift was also linked to the redistribution of influence within the right-wing camp and the consolidation of a national-conservative bloc around the Law and Justice party. However, in 2023 populists lost their monopoly on executive power. The 2025 elections did not put an end to populism in Poland; on the contrary, they led to a transformation of the institutional forms of its presence. The article also analyses the ideological and programmatic profile of Polish populist parties using the Chapel Hill Expert Survey methodology.