Will Poland leave the EU?

In October 2021, Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal ruled that the Polish constitution takes precedence over some EU laws. The European Commission has said the changes undermine judicial independence and the core EU principle of the primacy of EU law.

Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn pointed out ‘the primacy of European law is essential for the integration of Europe and living together in Europe. If this principle is broken, Europe as we know it, as it has been built with the Rome treaties, will cease to exist.’

This marks the latest in a long line of EU-Poland rule of law disputes. The Constitutional Tribunal’s ruling has led to concerns that Poland may leave the EU – in other words that ‘Polexit’ may happen. France’s Europe Minister Clément Beaune has said ‘there is a risk of a de facto exit’.

However, to date there has been no official confirmation that Poland is seeking to leave the EU. Furthermore, the majority of the Polish population still support EU membership.