Civic Platform’s Views on the Security of Poland in the Context of the War in Ukraine

Abstract

This study is concerned with one of Poland’s major political parties – Civic Platform (CP). Formed in 2001, it represents the liberal strain of Polish political thought. The Civic Platform was the ruling party between 2007 and 2015. For the ninth term of the Polish Parliament, it formed the Civic Coalition parliamentary group together with Modern, the Polish Initiative, and the Greens. This study explores the question of CP politicians’ perceptions of the security of Poland in the context of the war in Ukraine. It takes a closer look at Polish liberals’ assessment of the international situation and their diagnosis of the threats faced by Poland. Their outlook on political and military security is discussed as well, as is their attitude towards the steps taken by the Polish authorities after February 24, 2022. State security – defined as a condition obtained through effectively implemented defence and protection measures against a variety of military and non-military threats – was the main research category. State security may be considered a critical component of the raison d’état. It is also a key challenge for those in power.