The polls are kind to the current president of Poland – so far –. More than 50% of respondents positively measure the first months of his office, and only 30 negative. It's not a sensation.
In Poland, presidents, no substance who was, had much easier than prime ministers and always had good public opinion ratings, even erstwhile they lost the election. Does Karol Nawrocki's presidency bring anything fresh to Polish politics, especially abroad politics? And yes and no. Yes, due to the fact that at least verbally the president exposes his abstinence towards the European Union, seeing it as a threat to Polish sovereignty (conversation on 11 November). Yes, due to the fact that – besides verbally – it distances itself from the calf's proukrainism almost the full political class. In particular, the second issue raises the fierce opposition of the media and politicians of the government coalition, outraged that Nawrocki did not mention a word about "fighting in defence of the free world" of Ukraine during his speech on independency Day and said nothing about the threat from "imperial Russia". The president besides announces greater activity within the Visegrad Group, he was already in Slovakia and is going to Budapest.
But is all of this an announcement of a change in Polish abroad policy? I uncertainty it. It can be assumed that Nawrocki's declarations are a way out against the moods in his electorate, and these, in a delicate way, are not favorable to the pro-Ukrainian course of Polish politics. Does that change anything? Not much. Firstly, abroad policy in Poland is implemented by the government and not by the president, secondly, Nawrocki did not question the sense of providing assistance to the authorities in Kiev, and frequently repeated that Poland stands on the side of Ukraine fighting against “neoimperial” Russia. He never approached Viktor Orban or Robert Fico's position, and now besides Andrei Babish, who clearly state that aid to Ukraine (primarily military) is contrary to the interests of their countries, and 1 way is peace. It is even hard to imagine that Nawrocki defined the Polish interest in the same way. A tough position on the exhumation of the victims of the crime carried out by UPA and keeping Volodymyr Zelenski distant – is considered acceptable in Poland. However, this does not substance at all erstwhile it comes to the policy of supporting Ukraine in all possible fields, which makes Poland, as Viktor Orban said, “a part of this war.” I have already left out specified flowers as the award of a advanced state award for Andrzej Pochobut for his alleged “deservation to the Polish number in Belarus”.
So if you ask the last question – how it is and how it will be with Karol Nawrock, then we have 2 options. Pessimists (or realists) will say that erstwhile it comes to abroad policy, he does not bring anything new, but a change of accents. Optimists, including Prof. Lech Mażewski, will say that it should not be deleted due to the fact that it inactive has time to realize certain things. Time will tell you who's right.
Jan Engelgard
Think Poland, No. 47-48 (23-30.11.2025)
