Event: Illiberal Constitutionalism Workshop

On 31 August 2022, Visegrad Insight held a closed-door expert discussion with leading CEE scholars and rule of law practitioners in Poland to discuss the defence of the rule of law against the backdrop of democratic backsliding in Poland.

The conversation revolved around Poland’s rule of law battle and gathered Polish participants who are experts on the topic or are engaged actively in the fight for the rule of law to discuss the current illiberal version of democracy we see in Poland and to investigate the underpinnings of illiberal Christian democracy throughout the region of Central and Eastern Europe. The expertise and insight gathered is crucial for expanding the understanding of the current rule of law situation in Poland and Europe overall.

Programme:
Marta Bucholc (University of Warsaw), Naum Trajanovski (University of Warsaw), Renata Uitz (Central European University), Michal Kopeček (Czech Academy of Sciences), Matěj Slavík (Czech Academy of Sciences), Sophie Lange (University of Erfurt), Wojciech Przybylski (Visegrad Insight, Res Publica) Joachim von Puttkamer (Friedrich Schiller University, Jena), Jakub Szumski (Friedrich Schiller University, Jena) – welcome; Miles R. Maftean (Visegrad Insight, Res Publica) – moderator
Anna Wójcik (OKO Press Archiwum Osiatyńskiego),  Michał Wawrykiewicz (Wolne Sądy), Jakub Drożdż (Instytut Dyplomacji Gospodarczej) – discussants

This closed door meeting was generously funded by Volkswagen Foundation as part of a major, four-year project entitled “Towards Illiberal Constitutionalism in East Central Europe: Historical Analysis in Comparative and Transnational Perspectives”. This project investigates the rise of illiberal concepts and practices in Central and Eastern Europe from the ambiguities of the liberal order. It aims to demonstrate why and how this experience is relevant to the current populist challenge to the constitutional foundations of liberal democracy in Europe and around the world.

• Breakfast meetings