TN Live | Conservative Nawrocki has taken office as President of Poland

For Rafał Trzaskowski – the unsuccessful presidential candidate – this was, in a way, a second chance. And once again, he narrowly failed. It became clear that he simply lacks the necessary drive and perhaps a deeper connection with the majority of Polish society. At certain points in the campaign, it was evident that some aspects of it made him visibly uncomfortable.

Once again, it shows that the ruling coalition is – for the umpteenth time – unable to put forward a candidate capable of truly appealing to a broad cross-section of society.

In contrast, Law and Justice succeeded in this regard. While Karol Nawrocki is not a member of the party, he enjoys its support and has long been affiliated with it. And although the result was close and the campaign started off very weakly, it didn’t stop him from winning in the end. And chances are, few will remember how narrow the margin was.

The question now is what impact the election result will have on relations with the European Union – particularly when it comes to EU reforms and accessing EU funds. In the previous term, President Andrzej Duda acted more as a unifier – trying to maintain a constructive stance toward the EU and avoiding unnecessary confrontation. He was not the kind of figure who sought to polarize the debate.

Karol Nawrocki often holds critical views of the EU, but this area remains largely within the prime minister's purview. Therefore, no dramatic shift in Poland’s European or transatlantic policy is expected. Polish presidents have traditionally maintained strong and close ties with the American president – and that is unlikely to change now.

Broadcast on TN Live, August 7, 2025 (10:45).