May 1, 2017 marks 13 years since Poland and other central European states joined the European Union. The so-called “Big Bang Enlargement” was hailed as a milestone towards the overcoming of the cold-war division of Europe and the fulfilment of Central Europeans’ aspirations to return to Europe after the fall of communism in the region in 1989. Despite many doubts and concerns about the readiness of prospective members to accept the responsibilities ensuing from membership, Germany’s support was crucial for the finalization of the enlargement negotiations and making enlargement a success. Thirteen years later, the division into old and new members seems to be fading away, but the European policy-crisis and radical political turn in Poland following the 2015 presidential and parliamentary elections give ground to new questions about the sustainability of the post-2014 status quo. The Bertelsmann Stiftung speaks with Dr. Jacek Kucharczyk and Dr. Agnieszka Łada from the Institute of Public Affairs, Warsaw.
