Public Opinion and the Restoration of Democracy

Abundant prior research has analyzed the mass public’s role in democratic backsliding. Comparatively little research has studied democratic restoration, the reconsolidation of democratic institutions following backsliding. We investigate this pressing issue using the paradigmatic case of Poland, where the pro-democratic alliance led by Donald Tusk won the parliamentary election in 2023 after eight years of democratic backsliding under the Law and Justice party. A central concern is whether such an opportunity to restore democracy fuels anti-democratic sentiment among vengeful winners and disappointed losers in a polarized society. Using original panel survey data, we show that the election result did not exacerbate deeper anti-democratic attitudes on either side. At the same time, elite-cue survey experiments reveal that pro-democratic elites may jeopardize the winners' benevolence by using an aggressive, confrontational strategy to restore democracy. The findings carry important implications for current and future endeavors to restore democracy in Poland and elsewhere.