Since Poland's accession to the European Union in 2004, the issue of adopting the euro as an authoritative currency has remained the subject of intense debates. Despite the obligations under the Maastricht Treaty which require Poland to introduce a single currency, most citizens powerfully object to the euro's replacement of the gold. fresh polls of the public from 2025 confirm these sentiments, showing the increasing reluctance of Poles to change currency.
Current social sentiments towards the euro
According to a survey conducted by the economical Freedom Foundation in early 2025, until 56.5% of Poles argue the introduction of the euro, of which almost 1 3rd declare strong opposition. Only 30.7% of respondents support euro substitution. Compared to erstwhile years, the percent of opponents of the single currency has increased, suggesting a increasing public distrust of this change.
Reasons for opposition by Poles
The main concerns of Poles regarding the adoption of the euro focus on possible negative economical impacts. The most frequently mentioned are:
- Price increase: There is simply a common belief that the introduction of the euro will lead to higher prices for goods and services, which will reduce the purchasing power of citizens.
- Loss of control of monetary policy: The transfer of monetary policy competences to the European Central Bank raises concerns about limiting the country's economical sovereignty.
- Economic uncertainty: The change in currency risks destabilising the economy, which could negatively affect citizens' savings and investment.
State of Poland's preparations to adopt the euro
In order to introduce the euro, Poland has to meet the alleged convergence criteria set out in the Maastricht Treaty. These include:
- Price stability: Low inflation close to the EU average.
- Exchange rate stability: keep a unchangeable gold exchange rate against the euro for at least 2 years.
- Stability of public finances: Budget deficit not exceeding 3% of GDP and public debt below 60% of GDP.
- Long-term interest rates: Low interest rates akin to those in euro area countries.
According to the European Commission study of June 2024, Poland does not presently meet any of these criteria, which means that the euro is improbable to be adopted soon.
Future prospects
Despite the Treaty commitments, the failure to comply with the convergence criteria and strong social opposition make the introduction of the euro in Poland barely realistic in the coming years. In addition, the current economical situation and global economical challenges prompt the government to be cautious in deciding on specified a crucial change.
Although Poland, erstwhile joining the European Union, has committed to adopting the euro, current economical realities and social sentiments are not conducive to this nonsubjective in the close future. The vast majority of Poles fear the negative effects of the introduction of the single currency and the country does not meet the key convergence criteria. Therefore, the debate on the euro's replacement of the gold remains open, and possible decisions on this issue will require further analysis and broad public debate.
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Will the euro become compulsory in Poland? Poles express strong opposition
