Poland after 2005

In 2005, former Solidarity activist Lech Kaczyński became President of Poland, and just a year later, his brother Jarosław took the post of Prime Minister. The Solidarity movement itself evolved into two major political parties — the conservative Law and Justice and the liberal Civic Platform, which have alternated in forming the government.

In 2006, the lustration law was expanded. Poland condemned Russia’s aggression against Georgia, the annexation of Crimea, and became one of Ukraine’s most consistent allies following the full-scale invasion. At the same time, the Law and Justice party pursued policies that contradicted human rights — including a ban on abortion and same-sex marriages.

This Saturday, our space will host a conversation with former Leningrad Council deputy Vitaly Skoybeda and historian Vadim Lifshits, where we’ll discuss Poland’s political evolution over the past two decades, the modern legacy of Solidarity, the challenges and progress in a new phase — and what lessons this experience might hold for Russia.