Evolution of attitudes of Polish society towards the European Union in the 21st century in the light of public opinion polls

Abstract

The primary aim of this article is to analyse the evolution of attitudes of Polish society towards the processes of the European Union in the 21st century. Describing and explaining the evolution of these attitudes is all the more important as it has long ceased to fall into the categories of Euro-enthusiasm, Euro-scepticism or ‘positively disposed indifference’. The issues to be analysed become crucial especially in the context of the new circumstances of international relations. An important justification for undertaking this research is the question to what extent the influence of the recently noted increasingly strong anti-EU narrative present in Polish political discourse on the evolution of these attitudes is visible. It should be emphasised that despite the dissent to the EU expressed by important actors of the Polish political scene, the level of attitudes of acceptance and public support towards the integration is still relatively high. However, one of the lowest levels of support for membership in the last 20 years has been recently recorded as well as an increase in scepticism, especially in the context of regulations related to the environment, climate, energy transition and agriculture. An important conclusion that needs to be stressed is the fact that after years of emphasising economic benefits, it is now the benefits of integration in terms of international security that are being highlighted. It should be emphasised that the recent decrease in attitudes of support and approval towards the EU will certainly require further analysis and clarification of this process.