Poland

Republic of Poland

Baptised in 966, erased from the map several times and restored, Poland embodies the persistence of a nation through culture and faith rather than the state.

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Heritage

The baptism of Mieszko I anchored the Piasts to Latin rather than Byzantine Christendom — a founding decision for Europe's cultural frontier. Kraków founded its university in 1364; Copernicus studied there; the Warsaw Confederation guaranteed from 1573 a religious tolerance then without equivalent.

History

The Polish state was born with the baptism of Mieszko I in 966, placing the country in Rome's orbit. Union with Lithuania (1385, then 1569) formed the Commonwealth of Two Nations, one of Europe's largest states, with an elective monarchy and a nobility holding a right of veto.

Weakened by its institutions, the Commonwealth was partitioned between 1772 and 1795 by Russia, Prussia and Austria: Poland vanished from the map for 123 years. Its language, Romantic literature and Church sustained the nation.

Restored in 1918, invaded in 1939 by Germany then the USSR, it suffered Europe's deadliest occupation and the extermination of three million Polish Jews. The election of John Paul II in 1978 and then Solidarity shook the Soviet bloc; 1989 opened the transition, 2004 accession to the Union.

Milestones

966 Christianisation

Baptism of Mieszko I

Poland chooses Latin Christianity, a decision that durably fixes its cultural place in Europe.

1364 Middle Ages

University of Kraków

Casimir the Great founds one of Central Europe’s oldest universities; Copernicus will study there.

1569 Renaissance and Reformations

Union of Lublin

Poland and Lithuania form a joint Commonwealth: elective monarchy and a powerful parliament.

1573 Renaissance and Reformations

Warsaw Confederation

The nobility guarantees religious peace while Europe sinks into wars of religion.

1791 Early modern period

Constitution of 3 May

Europe’s first written constitution, adopted shortly before the country’s third partition.

1939 Contemporary period

Invasion and occupation

Invaded by Germany then the USSR, Poland loses nearly a fifth of its population.

1980 Contemporary period

Solidarity

At the Gdańsk shipyards the Soviet bloc’s first free trade union is born. Communism loses its workers’ legitimacy.

1989 European construction was affected

Fall of the Berlin Wall

9 November opens German reunification and, in time, that of the continent.

2004 European construction

Accession of Poland to the Union

With nine other states, Poland joins the EU: the political reunification of the continent.

2004 European construction took part

The big bang enlargement

Ten states, eight of them formerly communist, join the Union: the continent’s division ends.

2022 European construction was affected

War in Ukraine

The Russian invasion brings sanctions, the reception of millions of refugees and candidacies from Ukraine and Moldova.

Political landscape

Results of the June 2024 European election and their translation into European Parliament groups.

KO — Koalicja Obywatelska 21
PiS — Prawo i Sprawiedliwość 20
Konfederacja — Konfederacja Wolność i Niepodległość 6
TD — Trzecia Droga 3
Lewica — Lewica 3

Distribution of European seats

Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) 24
European Conservatives and Reformists Group 20
Europe of Sovereign Nations Group 6
Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament 3

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The state in numbers

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Public debt, % of GDP 64.5 % 2.9 % GDP per head (EU = 100) 81.1 2.8 Government spending, % of GDP 49.4 % 2.5 % Total tax burden, % of GDP 37.6 % 0.2 % Prisoners per 100,000 people 190.7 12.0