Democracy After Illiberalism: A Warning from Poland

Abstract

This article examines the challenges facing governments aiming to restore liberal democratic institutions after illiberal rule. It uses the case study of Poland under Donald Tusk’s current government—which defeated populist Law and Justice (PiS) in 2023—to construct a wider conceptual framework for understanding dilemmas of post-illiberal reform that may also confront other democracies. A key legacy of democratic backsliding is a series of institutional traps that are difficult to counteract without resorting to the same decisionist methods that made them. Proceduralist approaches risk leaving the damage unrepaired and demobilizing supporters, while more decisive action may require capitulation to the illiberal playbook.