The Ministries of Justice of Poland and Germany have announced the launch of recruitment for the Polish-German Summer School of the Rule of Law. The initiative is aimed, among others, at final-year students. According to the ministry, the School was established in response to the “erosion of democratic institutions and the growing tendencies toward authoritarianism.” The initiative has sparked widespread commentary online.
As stated on the website of the Ministry of Justice, the Polish-German Summer School of the Rule of Law is intended as a response, among other things, to global conflicts and political turbulence. It is a joint initiative of the justice ministries of both countries.
“Developing Shock-Resilient Mechanisms”
“In the face of the ongoing erosion of democratic institutions and the rise of authoritarian tendencies, the protection of the rule of law is becoming our shared priority. Although most young Europeans still trust democracy, contemporary crises require us to develop new, shock-resistant legal mechanisms. The Polish-German Summer School of the Rule of Law is a platform created by the justice ministries of both countries to jointly seek answers to these threats. In September 2026, in Kraków, a group of 30 participants will analyze key aspects of judicial independence, fundamental rights, and the challenges of the digital revolution. The program combines academic rigor with a practical approach: the outcome of the joint work will be strategy projects, discussed among recognized experts,”
reads the ministry’s website.
The initiative is aimed at final-year students of law or social sciences, as well as graduates of these fields, legal trainees, doctoral candidates, and research assistants who will not have turned 30 by the end of 2026. A total of 30 participants is expected to take part (50% from Germany, 50% from Poland).
According to the ministry, the program will involve “renowned scholars and representatives of civil society, who, as speakers and moderators, will present various academic perspectives on current challenges to the rule of law.” In addition to attending lectures and workshops, participants are also expected to visit the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum.
“That German Rule of Law”
The initiative has stirred controversy online. Many internet users have pointed out that, due to numerous German crimes against Poles and the historical period of Hitlerism in Germany, experts from that country should not be regarded as authorities on the rule of law.