Polish President Karol Nawrocki’s effort to deliver on his electoral pledges has stalled, but he insists there is still time to achieve them.
Leadership Style and Early Achievements
Karol Nawrocki’s approach is defined by determination: he expects others to adapt to his plan. In his first 100 days he signed 70 laws, vetoed 13, and carried out 11 foreign visits, setting a decisive pace.
Image Strength
Nawrocki holds 10,600,000 votes that feel directly on his shoulders. He is consciously aware of the responsibility and excels at using the situation to boost his image, as seen when he acted before Prime Minister Donald Tusk during the National Board of Physicians’ appeal for a meeting. The president’s quick response was captured in a photo that circulated with the caption “The president answered immediately.” During the same period a medical summit was announced at the presidential palace, while Tusk could only scratch his head; the moment became a “goal” for Nawrocki.
Implementation of Nawrocki’s Promises
Like the Coalition’s 100 initiatives, Nawrocki’s “Plan 21”—including a 22 % VAT drop, simpler taxes for businesses, and investment programs for every municipality—is still “in progress.” Without government support these pledges are unachievable, and Nawrocki plans to report to voters before the five‑year mark. Among his own 11 legislative initiatives are “Cheaper Electricity – 33 %,” “PIT Zero. Family Plus,” “Yes to CPK,” and “Protection of the Polish Countryside,” the last of which he endorsed during a visit to Krąpieli, declaring that “not only the countryside is behind Karol, but Karol is also behind farmers and the Polish countryside.”
Constitutional Ambitions
Before taking the presidency, Nawrocki proclaimed that the current constitution provided him too little authority, and he now seeks a change that could introduce a semi‑presidential system by 2030. A two‑thirds parliamentary majority and an absolute Senate majority are required; the author fears the effort might end like the film “Titanic” but with the orchestra playing on. In the meantime he resorts to creative interpretation of law and reality, such as his spokesman explaining that the president can decide on clemency at any procedural stage—a practice he claims goes further than former President Duda.
Use of the Veto
According to his powers, Nawrocki has vetoed 13 laws, including the first draft of the aid law for Ukrainian citizens, the wind‑energy law, and the “lex Kamilek.” The president’s veto can halt parliamentary projects, such as reforms in divorce law and the judiciary, and he has also opposed changes to the National Judicial Council and the Constitutional Tribunal via his letters. While budget cuts to the president’s office are being considered, Nawrocki cannot veto the 2026 budget bill that would affect his own office.
