ABSTRACT
The chapter aims to explain the role of religion within the party system in Poland. The main focus will be given to the Polish Catholic Church due to the fact that Poland is almost a homogenous society in terms of confession: around 92 percent of the population are Catholics. The Church is defined here as an interest group which seeks to engage with political issues. In this context, the Church’s political subjectivity means it can act to realise its objectives and intentions and engage in power struggles. From the perspective of normative neo-institutionalism, the chapter argues that the Church exerts its influence on political parties in order to affect legal acts, governmental decisions, the general shape of the party system, individual and collective behaviour of citizens and finally axiological orientation of the society. The chapter’s analysis is not limited to the Church’s goals and strategies but also includes characteristics of the Polish party system since 1989 and the responses of Polish society as a main transmitter of supports and demands between various political actors.
