Political Catholicism and Euroscepticism

This chapter analyses mainly primary data in the form of semi-structured interviews conducted with 18 representatives of the most important Polish political Catholic parties, as well as experts, commentators of Polish politics and journalists. It argues that the Euroscepticism of Polish political Catholicism is not a simple matter of short- or mid-term electoral tactics; rather that is, in fact, deeply entrenched in the ideological predispositions of Polish political Catholicism. In order to understand this phenomenon, it is necessary to outline the history of the Polish Catholic Church’s attitudes towards Poland’s EU membership and the institution’s influence on Euroscepticism among proponents of Polish political Catholicism. Euroscepticism rooted in concerns for maintaining national identity is not uncommon as proven by academic research. The chapter identifies and understands the relationship between political Catholicism and Euroscepticism. It provides the description of political Catholicism in Poland, including the causes of its Eurosceptic approach.