Visegrad dreams for Warsaw, nightmares for Berlin

The author argued that an active Polish-led Visegrad alliance of populists and Europe-spoilers from Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia challenging Brussels and Berlin remained a distant prospect for now, but warned that the EU must address rising resentment about economic liberalisation in central and eastern Europe.

For Poland there was much at stake. Warsaw was struggling to defend its reputation following controversial judicial reforms and was courting regional partners in advance of a vote in the European Council on whether it had violated European rule of law standards.

Beyond this immediate concern, Warsaw was seeking allies to realise its vision of a 'Europe of sovereign nations' as opposed to a Europe of ever-closer union.

• Primary Source

ESO: Key Source: The Visegrad Group http://www.europeansources.info/record/the-visegrad-group-2/

Politico, 31.10.17: Visegrad 4 cools on Europe, and each other http://www.europeansources.info/record/visegrad-4-cools-on-europe-and-each-other/

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