“The Way Back?: Reversing Autocratisation through Legislative Reform in Poland”

Friday, 7 March 2024, 18:30–20:30 (CEST)

It is not uncommon for new governments to inherit a challenging legacy when they take up office. The legacy left to the new Polish government after they took office at the end of 2023 is, however, particularly daunting. Tusk’s government continue to struggle to reverse years of autocratisation, with the persistent presence of various domestic personnel set on obstructing their efforts to reform key democratic institutions. After over a year of the new government, this online roundtable brings together experts to discuss the ‘way back’ and the confrontation or avoidance of this troublesome legacy across three key themes: judicial independence, freedom of expression, and migration border practices.

The panellists include: 

• Grazyna Baranowska – Chair of Migration Law and Human Rights at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg 

• Jakub Jaraczewski – Research Coordinator at Democracy Reporting International (Berlin)

• John Morijn – Henrik Enderlein Fellow at the Hertie School in Berlin and the NGIZ Professor of Law and Politics in International Relations at the University of Groningen

• Anna Wojcik – Assistant Professor at Kozminski University (Warsaw)

• Dorota Zabludowska – Judge of the District Court of Gdańsk-Południe and Vice-President of the Gdańsk branch of the Association of Polish Judges “Iustitia”

   

The panel will be co-moderated by Joe Finnerty, Postdoctoral Researcher at the Academy for European Human Rights Protection (University of Cologne), and Laura Jäckel, PhD Candidate at the Academy for European Human Rights Protection (University of Cologne). 

The event is open to registered attendees. To register and receive a link to the online roundtable, please send an email to jfinnertuni-koeln.de by 6 March 2024.