Political scientist Prof. Antoni Dudek suggests Karol Nawrocki’s referendum proposal regarding EU climate policy marks the beginning of a strategic “spring offensive.”
The Proposed Referendum Question
Karol Nawrocki has proposed a referendum asking citizens whether they support the implementation of EU climate policies that have led to increased living costs, energy prices, and higher expenses for businesses and agriculture.
A Strategic Political Offensive
Speaking on TVN24, Prof. Antoni Dudek characterized the motion as a “spring offensive,” following the President’s May 3 speech and the establishment of the New Constitution Council. While Dudek noted the proposal lacks a realistic chance of passing the Senate, he argued it serves as a strategic tool.
The move allows the President and PiS candidate Czarnarek to claim they are protecting Poles from inflation caused by the Green Deal and the Tusk government. According to Dudek, the strategic goal is to prepare the ground for the introduction of a presidential system in Poland.
Sovereignty and Environmental Protection
Nawrocki clarified that the referendum is not directed against environmental protection or membership in a united Europe. Instead, he stated the initiative is for the right of Poles to decide the pace, scope, and costs of such changes, emphasizing the concepts of “normality” and “sovereignty.”
Context of the European Green Deal
The European Green Deal is a long-term EU strategy aimed at achieving climate neutrality by 2050 by linking economic growth to reduced resource consumption. Proposed by the European Commission in 2019 and approved by the European Council, the plan was represented in Poland by then-Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
