Latest news with #JaroslawKaczynski
DW
02-06-2025
- Politics
- DW
Who is Polish President-elect Karol Nawrocki? – DW – 06/02/2025
As recently as last fall, most Poles had never heard of Karol Nawrocki. Just six months later, the historian and euroskeptic is set to be Poland's next president, despite several allegations about his past. When the right-wing conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party announced on November 25 whom it was backing in this year's presidential election, it wasn't just the media that were taken completely by surprise. Many members of the party itself knew nothing about Karol Nawrocki, president of Poland's Institute of National Remembrance (IPN). Nawrocki's first appearances on the campaign trail did not bode well: His demeanor was stiff, he was rhetorically weak, he read his speeches from a sheet of paper and irritated many with artificial smiles. The liberal-conservative camp backing Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski seemed to have victory in the bag before the campaign had even got properly underway. The opposition PiS party (pictured here: PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski) presented Nawrocki as an independent, non-partisan 'citizens' candidate' but funded and organized his campaign Image: Wojtek Radwanski/AFP/Getty Images Indeed, in the early days of the campaign, Trzaskowski was 10% and more ahead of his rival. Jaroslaw Kaczynski's choice But as it turned out, in backing Nawrocki, PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski hit the bull's eye. PiS presented Nawrocki — who himself admitted that he was "Kaczynski's creature" — as an independent, non-partisan "citizens' candidate" whom it was just backing. It was a way of making Nawrocki more palatable to voters who had not yet forgotten the breaches of the law and the chaos in the tax system during the eight years of PiS rule (2015–2023). Humble background in Gdansk Forty-two-year-old Nawrocki was born in Gdansk and comes from a humble background. He studied History in his native city and wrote his doctoral thesis on the anti-communist opposition in northeastern Poland. In 2017, he was tasked with reorganizing the Museum of the Second of World War in Gdansk, which had been set up by experts close to current Prime Minister Donald Tusk, to bring it into line with PiS's national-Catholic history policy. Nawrocki's victory signals tough times ahead for the government of Donald Tusk (pictured here with his wife) Image: Mateusz Slodkowski/AFP/Getty Images Staff changes and a "polonization" of the permanent exhibition, which Kaczynski deemed insufficiently patriotic, followed. In 2021, PiS got its way and Nawrocki was appointed president of the IPN. He continued to run the institute until recently. The IPN is an influential institute that plays an important role in the debate about who shapes the interpretation of history and was used by Poland's right-wing conservatives as a propaganda tool. 'Poland first, Poles first' Nawrocki's campaign motto was "Poland first, Poles first." He portrayed himself as a man "of flesh and blood" who had fought his way to the top on his own steam. "I am one of you; I am your voice," he repeatedly said at campaign events. Nawrocki is an open fan of US President Donald Trump and even traveled to Washington to have a photo taken with him in the Oval Office. Just like his mentor Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Nawrocki sees the EU as a threat to Polish sovereignty, although the word "Polexit" never crosses his lips. He regularly rails against the bloc's Green Deal and migration pact. Karol Nawrocki visited US President Donald Trump in the White House on May 1 Image: White House/ZUMA Press Wire/IMAGO During the election campaign, he resorted to anti-German rhetoric and accused Tusk of being "Germany's valet." He is also skeptical about aid for Ukraine. Media allegations Nawrocki is an enthusiastic amateur boxer and notched up a number of successes as a heavyweight in his youth. Polish media have accused him of having had ties to the hooligan scene and the criminal underworld. Nawrocki himself has admitted taking part in a pre-arranged brawl between the fans of two soccer teams. While others who were involved were sentenced in court, Nawrocki was not at the time recognized. According to the Internet platform ONET, Nawrocki was involved in escorting prostitutes into the Grand Hotel in Sopot while working for a private security company as a student. It is also alleged that he acquired a social housing apartment by irregular means. The president-elect seems unimpressed by these allegations, which he says are defamatory. This article was originally published in German.
DW
02-06-2025
- Politics
- DW
Who is Poland's President-elect Karol Nawrocki? – DW – 06/02/2025
As recently as last fall, most Poles had never heard of Karol Nawrocki. Just six months later, the historian and euroskeptic is set to be Poland's next president, despite several allegations about his past. When the right-wing conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party announced on November 25 whom it was backing in this year's presidential election, it wasn't just the media that were taken completely by surprise. Many members of the party itself knew nothing about Karol Nawrocki, president of Poland's Institute of National Remembrance (IPN). Nawrocki's first appearances on the campaign trail did not bode well: His demeanor was stiff, he was rhetorically weak, he read his speeches from a sheet of paper and irritated many with artificial smiles. The liberal-conservative camp backing Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski seemed to have victory in the bag before the campaign had even got properly underway. The opposition PiS party (pictured here: PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski) presented Nawrocki as an independent, non-partisan 'citizens' candidate' but funded and organized his campaign Image: Wojtek Radwanski/AFP/Getty Images Indeed, in the early days of the campaign, Trzaskowski was 10 percentage points and more ahead of his rival. Jaroslaw Kaczynski's choice But as it turned out, in backing Nawrocki, PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski hit the bull's eye. PiS presented Nawrocki — who himself admitted that he was "Kaczynski's creature" — as an independent, non-partisan "citizens' candidate" whom it was just backing. It was a way of making Nawrocki more palatable to voters who had not yet forgotten the breaches of the law and the chaos in the tax system during the eight years of PiS rule (2015–2023). "Rhetorically, Nawrocki came on in leaps and bounds. He learns quickly from his mistakes," says political scientist Antoni Dudek. "That's why he's so dangerous." Humble background in Gdansk Forty-two-year-old Nawrocki was born in Gdansk and comes from a humble background. He studied History in his native city and wrote his doctoral thesis on the anti-communist opposition in northeastern Poland. In 2017, he was tasked with reorganizing the Museum of the Second of World War in Gdansk, which had been set up by experts close to current Prime Minister Donald Tusk, to bring it into line with PiS's national-Catholic history policy. Nawrocki's victory signals tough times ahead for the government of Donald Tusk (pictured here with his wife) Image: Mateusz Slodkowski/AFP/Getty Images A staff reorganisation and a "polonization" of the permanent exhibition, which Kaczynski deemed insufficiently patriotic, followed. In 2021, PiS got its way and Nawrocki was appointed president of the IPN. He continued to run the institute until recently. The IPN is an influential institute that plays an important role in the debate about who shapes the interpretation of history and was used by Poland's right-wing conservatives as a propaganda tool. 'Poland first, Poles first' Nawrocki's campaign motto was "Poland first, Poles first." He portrayed himself as a man "of flesh and blood" who had fought his way to the top on his own steam. "I am one of you; I am your voice," he repeatedly said at campaign events. Nawrocki is an open fan of US President Donald Trump and even traveled to Washington to have a photo taken with him in the Oval Office. Just like his mentor Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Nawrocki sees the EU as a threat to Polish sovereignty, although the word "Polexit" never crosses his lips. He regularly rails against the bloc's Green Deal and migration pact. Karol Nawrocki visited US President Donald Trump in the White House on May 1 Image: White House/ZUMA Press Wire/IMAGO During the election campaign, he resorted to anti-German rhetoric and accused Tusk of being "Germany's valet." He is also skeptical about aid for Ukraine. Media allegations Nawrocki is an enthusiastic amateur boxer and notched up a number of successes as a heavyweight in his youth. Polish media have accused him of having had ties to the hooligan scene and the criminal underworld. Nawrocki himself has admitted taking part in a pre-arranged brawl between the fans of two soccer teams. While others who were involved were sentenced in court, Nawrocki was not at the time recognized. According to the Internet platform ONET, Nawrocki was involved in escorting prostitutes into the Grand Hotel in Sopot while working for a private security company as a student. It is also alleged that he acquired a social housing apartment by irregular means. The president-elect seems unimpressed by these allegations, which he says are defamatory. Antoni Dudek, who chaired the council of the IPN from 2010 to 2016, had this to say about the president-elect: "Nawrocki neither meets the moral requirements nor has he the specialist expertise to be head of state." This article was originally published in German.
LeMonde
26-05-2025
- Politics
- LeMonde
Two Polands face off ahead of decisive week
Two demonstrations took place simultaneously in the streets of Warsaw on Sunday, May 25, but protesters marched in opposite directions, symbolizing two radically different visions for Poland. On one side, an eclectic parade waved Polish, European and rainbow flags advocating for a resolutely European Poland. On the other, a uniform, exclusively red-and-white procession with nationalist overtones viewed "those on the other side" as traitors ready to sell the country to foreign interests and import progressive "ideologies" from "the West." Sound familiar? These are the two Polands that have been at odds for nearly 20 years: The Poland of Donald Tusk, former and current liberal prime minister, and the Poland of Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who ruled the Law and Justice party (PiS, right-wing populist) with an iron fist between 2015 and 2023. But the first round of the presidential election on May 18 sent a clear message – this polarization of the political landscape is running out of steam. The combined scores of candidates from these two parties have never been so low: 60% compared to nearly 80% in 2010 and 74% in 2020.
LeMonde
17-05-2025
- Politics
- LeMonde
Poland's liberals aim to complete their revolution
The legislative elections of October 15, 2023 – unexpectedly won by the liberal coalition led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk – were considered the most important since the fall of communism in Poland. The presidential election on May 18 and June 1 is equally significant, as it represents the second round of what was initiated then: a liberal counter-revolution after eight years of a conservative revolution marked by the reactionary and authoritarian governance of the Law and Justice party (PiS) led by Jaroslaw Kaczynski. It is worth recalling what has been universally hailed by European liberals as a democratic miracle. After two terms marked by blatant violations of the Constitution and principles of the rule of law, a coalition composed of liberals, Christian conservatives and left-wing parties returned to power, despite the entire state apparatus being mobilized against them. A third PiS victory would have likely anchored Poland permanently in an authoritarian system, similar to those established in Hungary or Turkey. In a Europe grappling with the rise of populism, this democratic feat was all the more remarkable. However, this revolution remained unfinished, as the so-called "October 15" coalition got entangled in a tumultuous cohabitation with President Andrzej Duda, from the PiS, who positioned himself as a staunch defender of his party's legacy, using his veto power to block any institutional reforms aimed at restoring the rule of law or progressing civil rights.
Irish Times
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Poland's prime minister warns of Russian interference before election that could change European landscape
Polish prime minister Donald Tusk said on Friday that Russian hackers were attacking the website of his Civic Platform party website in advance of Sunday's first-round presidential election. Nearly 29 million Poles go to the polls in a two-round process that will determine the country's defence policy and EU path for years to come. The final days of the campaign have seen warnings by Poland's national cybersecurity agency (Nask) about operations on social media 'aimed at destabilising the electoral process'. Mr Tusk wrote on Twitter/X that a known Russian hacker group was 'conducting intensive activities ... the attack is ongoing'. Though 13 candidates are running for president, Sunday's poll is the latest proxy clash between liberal conservative Mr Tusk and Jaroslaw Kaczynski, his political nemesis and national conservative opposition leader. READ MORE Each of their parties has fielded a presidential candidate to help – or hinder – the Tusk government's policy ambitions and efforts to restore the rule of law. Mr Tusk's 'hacker' warning on Friday came as his party's presidential election candidate, Rafal Trzaskowski, dropped three points in a final poll to 30 per cent support. Five years ago the 53-year-old liberal Warsaw mayor lost narrowly a problematic pandemic-era presidential poll. Today he is still seen as a pro-EU and liberal candidate, but has shifted with the public mood to take a harder stance in the campaign against migration and welfare for Ukrainians in Poland. A Trzaskowski victory would end the Tusk government's uneasy cohabitation – and legislative deadlock – with outgoing two-term president Andrzej Duda, an ally of Mr Kaczynski. Poland's president has far-reaching control of the armed forces and has powers to veto or stall legislation, something Mr Duda has done regularly in the last 18 months. With Mr Duda unable to run for a third term, Mr Kaczynski's national conservative Law and Justice party (PiS) has fielded Karol Nawrocki. The 42-year-old conservative historian is head of the Institute of National Memory and has a steady 25 per cent support in polls. With no candidate likely to take at least 50 per cent support, Polish election rules mean a second ballot – mostly likely between Mr Trzaskowski and Mr Nawrocki – will be held on June 1st. In a series of heated debates, candidates have clashed over housing, healthcare, abortion, refugees and Russia – but neither Mr Trzaskowski nor Mr Nawrocki landed a knockout blow on each other. Complicating the race is Slawomir Mentzen, a 38-year-old social media-savvy candidate of the far-right Confederation Party. His initial popularity among younger male voters, with anti-EU rhetoric and agitation against refugees, has slid after he backed university fees and a total abortion ban, even in cases of rape. Transfers will be key in the second round poll on June 1st, with Mr Trzaskowski likely to secure voters from losing candidates of Mr Tusk's coalition partners. As the government-backed candidate, he has become a target of voters who backed Mr Tusk's return to power and are frustrated with the coalition's progress. That, and signs of growing voter apathy after a recent run of elections, mean turnout could be as much a deciding factor as any candidate's arguments. Even before this week's cyber attack warnings, analysts saw the election as a major stress test for Polish democracy, given PiS and far-right candidates have already been preparing narratives of stolen and rigged elections – to be activated if they lose. 'Meanwhile a victory of Nawrocki would also mean snap parliamentary elections and Poland moving away from its strategic partners in Europe,' said Mateusz Mazzini, a Warsaw-based political analyst. 'It can change the landscape entirely for a lot of people in Europe.'
