You don’t like the European Union? You don’t like the decisions made by the fanatical supporters of federalization? You’re annoyed by the overload of regulations and pressure from EU HQ? Does liberal-left domination offend you, as a conservative? Welcome to the club!
But Polexit is not an answer to these problems.
Cynical career politicians who are gaining the support of voters and the interest of readers call for Polexit. Naïve idealists call for it when they are rightly irritated by the patronizing approach of progressives. Finally, agents lost to Russian influence and useful idiots also call for Polexit.
Why, then, does conservatism at this stage forbid us to leave the EU?
Mainly because the EU will not vanish if Poland departs it — it will remain, and remain a problem. The leftist behemoth will only strengthen itself if the EU loses its strongest right-wing group — Law and Justice (PiS). Along with Brexit, the EU lost moderate politicians — and with Polexit, it would lose even more.
Staunch supporters of Polexit are like children who think that if they close their eyes, then the problem will magically disappear.
“Who would care about any of this if we were no longer there?” Euroskeptics may ask. We should care, however, because the EU would be speeding even faster towards federalization, it would still be Poland’s neighbor, and its decisions would still concern Poland. Energy, technology, and economic and legal decisions will still be made in the union and be reflected back on Poland. If the EU would suddenly demand different nutrition standards, then Polish exporters would have to adapt. If the EU changed its laws regarding borders, then it would concern two-thirds of Poland’s borders.
Staunch supporters of Polexit are like children who think that if they close their eyes, then the problem will magically disappear.
To those who would point to the United Kingdom as an example to follow, I would like to remind you that the Britons have an economy as large as over a dozen of the poorer EU countries taken together. What’s more, the UK is on an island and far away from Russia. Of course, Moscow’s influence in Brussels and Berlin is a problem for Poland but with our departure from the EU it would not disappear from Western capitals. In fact, this influence would become stronger.
Finally, conservatives should not be afraid of the challenges of modernity and the fight for civilization. Europe is still also our continent and our home, and the representatives of Latin civilization must not give ground to Germans, eurocrats, and all sorts of rainbow-flag ideologists.
The European Union must be changed, and German influence halted, liberal-left social engineering unmasked, and most of all, we cannot give up. As part of this project, we can criticize Brussels, block its twisted motions, and rebel against the politicization of institutions.
There will come a time when Poland will find allies, and the period of misfortune will end. In the meantime, Poland’s approach must be so hard and determined in its objectives that the EU will sooner break apart than Poland surrender.
