Following months of bickering, Poland's populist-conservative coalition government finally collapsed in September after two years in power. Early elections are scheduled for this Sunday, Oct. 21. Some suggest that they may turn into a referendum on de-Communization. To grasp the players and issues at stake, a whistle stop tour of Poland's political history and geography is in order. The Grand Transformation Poland's current political order took shape at the end of the 1980s. Far from being an outcome of the democratic process, it is the ultimate progeny of behind-the-scenes maneuvering and backstage deals. It was not the general electorate but Communist elites who shaped the system. They eventually invited other leftists to consummate the deal during the so-called Round Table Agreement in the spring of 1989.
Will Poland’s Election Be a Referendum on De-Communization?
