The opening event of the new Political Salon series will take place on 9 December 2025 and focus on Poland—a country at the center of Europe’s political and economic transformation. The featured guest, Maciej Kisilowski, Associate Professor at Central European University and a 2025–2026 Europe’s Futures Fellow, will explore Poland’s »economic miracle« and the forces driving it; the country’s political fragmentation and prospects for building consensus; and Poland’s role in shaping European security policy.

The discussion will be guided by three renowned interlocutors:

Ivan Krastev – Albert Hirschman Permanent Fellow at IWM, challenging assumptions and adding a political science perspective
Andreas Treichl – ERSTE Foundation, contributing economic and political insights
Christian Ultsch – Die Presse, serving as moderator and journalistic voice

The Political Salons are held in the IWM library. Following the expert exchange, guests will have the opportunity to engage directly through a Q&A session.

Click here to register and participate: Political Salon with Maciej Kisilowski

The Political Salons
Launched in 2004 in cooperation with the Austrian daily Die Presse, the Political Salons provide a platform for open and informed debate on international affairs. Each Salon features an in-depth conversation with a distinguished guest from politics, academia, culture, or media. The Political Salons are held in the IWM library.

Header image: Photo by Krzysztof Kowalik on Unsplash