Poland's state capitalism, state dirigisme and the European Games

This article examines Poland's organisation of the 2023 European Games as a case study of state capitalism and dirigisme under the Law and Justice (PiS) government. Drawing on qualitative analysis of official documents, public statements and media coverage, the study examines the political rationales, institutional arrangements and discursive justifications underpinning the decision to host the Games and the political processes surrounding the project. The study analyses how illiberal governance and centralised control were exerted as the showcase of the state’s dirigisme. It argues that the Games exemplified a politically driven megaproject shaped by the pursuit of the ‘political sublime’ – the symbolic display of state efficacy rather than pragmatic legacy goals. By situating the Polish case within broader debates on mega-events and public management, the article shows that even events of relatively limited global prominence can reproduce governance patterns typically associated with the ‘flagship’ sporting mega-events like the Olympic Games or FIFA World Cups. Additional context emphasising the role of the state’s dirigisme and political sublime of sporting events emerging from the analysis concerns the fact that all major political parties in Poland, otherwise bitterly conflicted, declare that pursuing the goal of hosting, for the first time, the Summer Olympic Games in Poland is a part of their political agenda.