Who is Poland's new President Karol Nawrocki backed by Donald Trump
Who is Poland's new President Karol Nawrocki backed by Donald Trump (Image: AP)
Karol Nawrocki, a conservative candidate, has narrowly won Poland's presidential election with 50.89% of the vote, edging out liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, who received 49.11%.
Nawrocki will succeed Andrzej Duda, a fellow conservative whose second and final term ends on August 6.
While most day-to-day power in Poland lies with the prime minister, who is chosen by parliament, the presidency is far from ceremonial. The president holds significant influence over foreign policy and has the power to veto legislation.
Who is Karol Nawrocki?
Nawrocki, 42, is a right-wing historian and former heavyweight boxing champion.
He received backing from then US President Donald Trump during the election campaign. Reports indicate that Nawrocki met with Trump in the Oval Office last month and that US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem recently encouraged Poles to support him to maintain strong ties with the US.
Nawrocki was chosen by the Law and Justice party as part of its effort to refresh its image. The party, which governed Poland from 2015 to 2023, lost power last year to a centrist coalition led by Donald Tusk.
Prior to running for president, Nawrocki led the Institute of National Remembrance, an institution known for promoting nationalist historical narratives. He spearheaded efforts to remove Soviet Red Army monuments in Poland, prompting Russia to place him on a wanted list, according to Polish media.
Political Stance and Support Base
Nawrocki has positioned himself as a defender of traditional Polish values, emphasizing patriotism and Catholic principles.
His supporters view him as a symbol of these values, and he has gained backing from those opposing secular trends, including LGBTQ visibility.
On foreign policy, Nawrocki opposes NATO membership for Ukraine and expresses scepticism towards the European Union.
Controversies
Nawrocki's campaign was shadowed by allegations of past ties to criminal figures and involvement in violent street fights. He denies any criminal links but admits to participating in what he calls 'noble' fights. These allegations did not seem to affect his support among right-wing voters, many of whom believe the accusations are politically motivated.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
2 hours ago
- First Post
Merz calls Trump 'key Person' to end Ukraine war in White House meeting
'We both agree on this war and how terrible this war is going on, and we are both looking for ways to stop it very soon. And I told the president … he is the key person in the world who can really do that now by putting pressure on Russia,' said Merz read more President Donald Trump, right, meets Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office of the White House, on Thursday. AP German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday met President Donald Trump at the White House and called him the 'key person' to bring about an end to the war in Ukraine 'by putting pressure on Russia.' 'We both agree on this war and how terrible this war is going on, and we are both looking for ways to stop it very soon. And I told the president … he is the key person in the world who can really do that now by putting pressure on Russia,' CNN quoted Merz as saying. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The German leader reaffirmed his country's unwavering support for Ukraine, stating that the horrific scenes from the battlefield are the result of 'Russian weapons against Ukraine.' 'Ukraine is only targeting military targets, not civilians, not energy infrastructure. So this is the difference, and that's the reason why we are trying to do more on Russia,' Merz added. Earlier, Trump opened by congratulating Merz on his February election win, noting that the two often discussed 'the problems of the world outside of Germany,' specifically mentioning Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 'It's not good. He's unhappy about it. I'm unhappy about it, but I think eventually we're going to be successful in stopping the bloodshed,' The Guardian quoted Trump as saying. Merz emerged from his Oval Office meeting with Trump largely unscathed on Thursday, despite clear differences over Ukraine — with the US president remarking it might be best to let Moscow and Kyiv 'fight it out like children.' Just a month into the job, Merz launched a charm offensive on the 78-year-old, gifting Trump a framed copy of his grandfather Frederick's 1869 German birth certificate. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The polite meeting showed that the conservative German leader had done his homework as he sought to avoid ambushes like those that Trump unleashed on Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and South Africa's president. But they did not see eye to eye on everything. Let the two sides fight it out Trump, who had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin just a day earlier, suggested it might be better to let Russia and Ukraine 'fight it out,' likening the devastating war — which has claimed thousands of lives and ravaged large parts of Ukraine — to a squabble between children. 'Sometimes you see two young children fighting like crazy. They hate each other, and they're fighting in a park, and you try and pull them apart,' AFP quoted Trump as telling reporters. 'Sometimes you're better off letting them fight for a while,' he added. Trump said he had cautioned Russian President Vladimir Putin against retaliating after Ukraine's drone strikes on Russian airbases that destroyed several nuclear-capable bombers. 'I said 'don't do it,'' Trump told reporters, noting that Putin responded by saying he had no choice and that it was 'not going to be pretty.' During the remarks, Trump also made a string of off-color references to Nazi Germany's defeat in World War II — a topic that remains highly sensitive in Germany today. Commending Merz for boosting Germany's defence spending in line with his long-standing Nato demands, Trump quipped that he wasn't sure WWII US General Douglas MacArthur would have approved. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Then, referring to the upcoming 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings, Trump asked: 'That was not a pleasant day for you?' Merz, 69, responded calmly: 'This was the liberation of my country from Nazi dictatorship. We know what we owe you.' Tariffs deal possible Merz avoided other possible pitfalls as Trump spent much of his time on a lengthy discourse against his billionaire former advisor Elon Musk. Topics like US tariffs on the EU and the prospect of a trade deal barely came up, with Trump saying he believed a deal was possible. On Trump's threat to hammer the European Union with sharply higher tariffs, Merz, leader of the bloc's biggest economy, had earlier argued that it must be self-confident in its negotiations with Washington. Nor did Trump confront Merz over free speech issues in Germany as US media had reported he might - a bugbear the administration has repeatedly brought up with European leaders despite its own record. Merz told reporters in Washington ahead of the meeting that if Trump brought up German domestic politics 'I will state my opinion very clearly if necessary.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump and some in his administration have given vocal support to the far-right and anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which came second in February elections. US Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and former Trump adviser Elon Musk have all weighed in in support of the AfD, which in Germany is shunned by all other political parties. Despite the tensions, Merz had said earlier that he was 'looking forward' to his first face-to-face meeting with Trump. The German chancellor is believed to have studied videos of previous Oval Office ambushes and learned how to stay calm and let Trump talk. With inputs from agencies
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
3 hours ago
- First Post
'Very disappointed in Elon': Trump says Musk knew 'inner workings' of spending bill; billionaire refutes claim as 'false'
US President Donald Trump on Thursday said he was 'very disappointed' with Elon Musk for slamming his major tax and spending bill, claiming the billionaire knew the legislation 'better than almost anybody.' read more Elon Musk speaks during a news conference with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, in Washington on Friday. AP File US President Donald Trump on Thursday said he was 'very disappointed' with Elon Musk for slamming his major tax and spending bill, claiming the billionaire knew the legislation 'better than almost anybody.' However, Musk swiftly hit back, calling the claim 'false' and said he was never shown the bill. Trump also admitted he wasn't sure if his close relationship with Musk would continue after former advisor Musk slammed the bill as an 'abomination' . STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Elon knew the inner workings of this bill, better than almost anybody sitting here… He knew everything about it. He had no problem with it. All of a sudden he had a problem, and he only developed the problem when he found out that we're going to have to cut the EV mandate, because that's billions and billions of dollars…," The Guardian quoted Trump as telling reporters in the Oval Office. Trump claimed Musk was fully aware of every aspect of the bill and raised no objections until after his departure. 'And if you saw the statements he made about me, which I'm sure you can get very easily, it's very fresh on tape, he said the most beautiful things about me, and he hasn't said bad about me personally, but I'm sure that'll be next, but I'm very disappointed in Elon. I've helped Elon a lot,' he said. He continued, 'Look, Elon and I had a great relationship. I don't know if we will anymore. I was surprised.' Meanwhile, Musk hit back at Trump's comments from the White House that the tech billionaire knew about Trump's tax and spending bill better than anyone. Taking to X, Musk wrote, 'False, this bill was never shown to me even once and was passed in the dead of night so fast that almost no one in Congress could even read it!' False, this bill was never shown to me even once and was passed in the dead of night so fast that almost no one in Congress could even read it! — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 5, 2025 On Tuesday, Musk sharply intensified his criticism of President Trump's 'big, beautiful' tax and spending cut bill, calling it a 'massive, outrageous, pork-filled … disgusting abomination' that will further widen the 'already gigantic' budget deficit. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Taking to X, the billionaire, who only formally left his top role in the White House last week, wrote, 'I'm sorry, but I just can't stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.' 'It will massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit to $2.5 trillion (!!!) and burden America citizens with crushingly unsustainable debt,' he added. However, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the criticism. 'The President already knows where Elon Musk stood on this bill. It doesn't change the president's opinion. This is one big, beautiful bill and he's sticking to it,' The Guardian quoted Leavitt as saying. While Musk had previously offered muted criticism of Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' — set to add $3 trillion to the deficit over a decade despite major cuts to health and food aid — his latest remarks marked a sharper turn. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He warned Tuesday that the bill would saddle 'citizens with crushingly unsustainable debt.' The shift signals rising tensions between Musk and the White House, despite his $300 million donation to Trump's campaign and past role as head of the DOGE task force. With inputs from agencies
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
UN food agency appeals for $46 million to help 2 million Haitians facing severe hunger
A woman combs the hair of another at a shelter for families displaced by gang violence, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti (Image credit: AP) The UN food agency is appealing for $46 million for the next six months to help about 2 million Haitians in dire need of food, including 8,500 at the worst catastrophic level of hunger. The appeal was issued by Lola Castro, the World Food Program's regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean, who recently returned from Haiti, where escalating gang violence has displaced well over 1 million people and left half the population - 5.7 million people - in urgent need of food. Two million of them are in the two worst categories in the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, the leading international authority on hunger crises, and 8,500 are in the worst Phase 5 category, she said. That means at least one in five people or households severely lack food and face starvation and destitution. Haiti is one of only five countries in the world that have people in the Phase 5 category of catastrophic hunger, Castro said, "and it is really dramatic to have this in the Western Hemisphere." Gangs have grown in power since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July 2021 and are now estimated to control 85 per cent of the capital and are moving into surrounding areas. Haiti has not had a president since the assassination, and the top UN official in the country said in April the country could face "total chaos" without funding to confront the gangs.. A UN-backed mission led by Kenyan police arrived in Haiti last year to help quell gang violence, but the mission remains understaffed and underfunded, with only about 40 per cent of the 2,500 personnel originally envisioned. The WFP, the world's largest humanitarian organization, is among the UN agencies facing funding cuts, mainly from the United States, which provided nearly half of its funding in 2024. Castro said WFP reached over 1.3 million people this year until March using carryover funds from last year. But the agency is facing a dramatic situation now with food stocks only until July to assist with emergencies, new displacements or hurricanes, she said. In the past four years, Castro said WFP always had stocks to help between 250,000 and 500,000 people with any emergency. "This year, we start the hurricane season with an empty warehouse where we have no stocks for assisting any emergency, or we have no cash neither to go and buy (food) locally if it was possible in some areas, or to do a rapid humanitarian response," Castro said. "We are very concerned that a single storm can put hundreds of thousands of people in Haiti again into humanitarian catastrophe and hunger." WFP normally provides a meal every day for around 500,000 school children, but that number will be cut in half without additional resources, she told a video press conference on Tuesday. With $46 million, she said, WFP will be able to help the 2 million Haitians in most need of food, keep providing school meals for half a million children, and provide social protection for very vulnerable people in camps for the displaced. Haiti must not be forgotten as the world deals with other crises, Castro said, urging donors to be generous. "We really need to stop this and to hold the line on hunger," she said. "We continue calling the humanitarian community to provide support." With $46 million, she said, WFP will be able to help the 2 million Haitians in the two worst IPC categories, keep providing school meals for half a million children, and provide social protection for very vulnerable people in camps for the displaced.
