Poland, wither democracy and rule of law?

Time: 8.30-9.30

Polands’ populist leaders consolidate their power by weakening democratic institutions and intimidating critics in civil society. Recently Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party pressed ahead with an effort to assert political control over the judiciary, adopting laws that will affect the Supreme Court, the local courts, and a council responsible for judicial appointments. We ask: Is Poland a democracy in crisis?

Join us for an interesting seminar with:

• Eirik Holmøyvik, Professor of Law at the University of Bergen (UiB) and a member of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (the Venice Commission).
• Terje Knutsen, Associate Professor of Comparative Politics at UiB, with a research focus on nationalism and democratisation in Europe, particularly in Eastern Europe.
• Siri Gloppen, LawTransform Director and Professor of Comparative Politics at UiB who has written extensively on the political role of courts in weak democracies.

Oda Ringstad, a fourth year law student and intern at LawTransform, will be moderator.