Karol Nawrocki is being inaugurated as Poland’s new president, severely hurting Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s centrist, pro-EU administration. Narrowly victorious in June’s election, Nawrocki, a nationalist who supports Donald Trump and the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party, is probably going to fiercely oppose Tusk’s reform plans.
Experts caution of a two-year political deadlock that could cripple attempts to recover judicial independence and fix connections with Brussels. As a main requirement for unfreezing billions in EU money, Tusk’s coalition had started reversing contentious PiSera judicial reforms. Nawrocki is probably going to halt further modifications, drawing more EU criticism.
The president intends as well to suggest well-liked tax reductions—such as raising the tax-free threshold and abolishing income tax for bigger families—therefore pressuring Tusk’s financially conservative administration. For this, Tusk has charged Nawrocki with arranging to “sabotage” the government.
Although both sides concur on defense and ongoing support for Ukraine, significant disagreements persist on matters like the judiciary, EU relations, and social reforms. Tusk’s recent Cabinet changes brought in vehement opponents of PiS, therefore aggravating already fragile relations.
Depending on the result of this power struggle, Poland’s political path leading into the 2027 general election might either lengthen gridlock or allow PiS to come back to power.
