The Time When Poland Should Return to Europe. Polish National Legacies in the European Construction

The history of European integration has often been interpreted as a linear process, one occasionally challenged by Euroscepticism. Recent literature suggests a more nuanced vision that takes into consideration interactions between Member States, candidates, the European community as a whole, and so-called “informal” forces. This study aims to contribute to a broader historiography of European integration that frames opposition to the European project and demands for what has been described as an “alternative” Europe as being integral to the process, rather than as deviations from it. Indeed, over the last few years, Poland has frequently been discussed in the context of Euroscepticism but, despite tensions between governments and the European Union, it has also remained one of the countries with the highest levels of trust in European institutions.