President Karol Nawrocki is set to convene a secret Cabinet Council meeting on Wednesday, which may include brief public remarks. The agenda focuses on budget concerns and agricultural protection, but experts suggest it’s a strategic move to criticize the government, emphasizing political theater over substantive policy.
Rada Gabinetowa
A Cabinet Council meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday at 9 a.m. in the Sali Kolumnowa chamber of the Presidential Palace. The session itself will be closed, though the president and prime minister are expected to make short statements before the media. According to the President’s Office, the council will address topics including the state of the budget, public finances, “development investments” such as the Central Communication Port and nuclear power plants, as well as government actions aimed at “protecting Polish agriculture and food production from the consequences of agricultural imports from outside the European Union.” The agenda, however, notably includes issues related to foreign policy and a planned meeting between President Karol Nawrocki and Donald Trump on September 3rd.
“Possibility of public criticism”
Polish political scientist Prof. zw. dr hab. Agnieszka Kasińska-Metryka told Gazeta.pl that the president’s power to summon the Cabinet Council is constitutionally valid, serving to strengthen presidential advisory roles. She added that this move appears to be a political offensive against the government, functioning as a “platform for public criticism” to confront and undermine its policies in a symbolic gesture.
Political scientist on the agenda: Topics are not priorities
“Foreign policy should be a top priority, as it is the only area linking these two powers in a unified international strategy,” Kasińska-Metryka noted. Instead, the agenda includes non-priority issues, chosen almost quasi-educationally. She emphasized that the president’s trip to meet Trump is secondary, implying an intent to assert control over U.S.-Poland relations, which he chooses to avoid discussing publicly. This, she suggests, reflects the president’s desire to emphasize his omnipotence in managing such ties.
“Tusk’s conciliatory tone would be the solution”
If the government wishes to turn the Cabinet Council into a tool for its benefit, the political scientist suggested that Prime Minister Donald Tusk should adopt a conciliatory approach, positioning himself as someone seeking common ground rather than engaging in power struggles. She noted that Tusk is unlikely to gain an advantage in such a direct confrontation.
What is the Cabinet Council?
The President’s constitutional powers allow him to convene the Cabinet Council—a body composed of the Council of Ministers, chaired by the President. However, the Cabinet Council lacks the legal authority of the Council of Ministers. It serves as a forum for coordination rather than a binding decision-making body. The President may highlight urgent issues and demand information on government intentions through this platform, while also establishing shared strategies with the Council of Ministers in specific areas.
Source: Gazeta, – President’s Office, – Gazeta.pl (political affairs section), – Gazeta.pl (government section), – Gazeta.pl (president section), – Gazeta.pl (foreign policy section), – Gazeta.pl (travel section)
