Poland’s Far Right Merges Parties to Navigate Legal Challenges Ahead of 2027 Elections

Poland’s far-right political landscape has undergone a significant shift as two parties merged in a strategic move to avoid legal troubles ahead of the crucial 2027 parliamentary elections. Over the weekend, the party New Hope (Nowa Nadzieja) officially joined forces with a newly registered entity known as The Empire Strikes Back (Imperium Kontratakuje). This merger comes in the wake of a ruling by a Warsaw court in November 2023, which stated that New Hope should be removed from the political register due to its failure to submit a financial report for 2024 in a timely manner.

Sławomir Mentzen, the leader of New Hope, is a prominent figure within the nationalist alliance known as Confederation (Konfederacja), which currently ranks as Poland’s third-largest political force in parliament. The alliance holds 16 seats and is polling in the low teens, positioning it as a potential kingmaker in future coalitions, particularly with the upcoming elections set for the second half of 2027.

The legal challenges facing New Hope prompted Mentzen to appeal the court’s ruling. However, rather than waiting for the outcome, his allies took proactive measures by registering The Empire Strikes Back in January 2024 as a contingency plan. During a closed-door congress on Saturday, delegates voted overwhelmingly to merge the two parties, effectively transferring New Hope’s structures and assets to the new organization.

Confederation officials have been candid about their intentions. Wojciech Machulski, the spokesperson for Confederation and head of The Empire Strikes Back, stated, “We can say that we outsmarted the system. It’s quite an original solution.” He characterized the merger as a “technical” strategy designed to maintain continuity should the court’s decision be upheld.

The newly merged party is expected to revert to the name New Hope as the 2027 elections approach. According to POLITICO’s Poll of Polls, Confederation is currently polling at 13 percent, trailing behind the opposition nationalist Law and Justice party led by Jarosław Kaczyński, which is at 26 percent, and the ruling center-right Civic Coalition, headed by Donald Tusk, with a commanding 34 percent.

This merger highlights the lengths to which political entities in Poland are willing to go to circumvent legal obstacles and maintain their influence in a rapidly changing electoral landscape. As the 2027 elections draw nearer, the dynamics within Poland’s political sphere are likely to evolve further, with the far-right parties aiming to solidify their positions and impact future governance.