Deep Partisan Divide Over Revoking Zelensky’s Order of the White Eagle

A new Europion Polska poll reveals that while 47% of Poles support revoking Volodymyr Zelensky’s Order of the White Eagle, deep political rifts exist, with 68% of citizens viewing bilateral relations as worsening.

Public Awareness and Demographics

The controversy surrounding the Order of the White Eagle has reached the mainstream, with 50% of Poles tracking the issue closely and another 34% aware of it. Interest is significantly higher among men at 61% compared to 39% for women, while seniors over 60 are the best-informed group.

Sharp Political Polarization

On a national scale, 47% of Poles consider the revocation of the order a justified decision. However, political divisions are stark: 73% of PiS voters and 75% of Confederation voters support the move, while only 14% of Civic Coalition (KO) voters agree, with many labeling the act as harmful or infantile.

Perceptions of the Ukrainian Response

Ukrainians returning Polish decorations have sparked mixed reactions: 26% of Poles view the response as infantile, 20% see it as a courageous gesture of protest, and 18% categorize it as a symbolic act without real meaning.

Pessimism Over Bilateral Relations

General sentiment regarding Polish-Ukrainian relations is poor, with only 6% describing them as very good. A broad, cross-party consensus of 68% believes these relations are currently deteriorating, including 70% of KO voters and 57% of PiS voters.

Methodology

The study was conducted between July 4–6, 2026, using the CAWI method on a representative sample of 1,062 Polish adults aged 16 and older. Data was weighted based on gender, age, education, place of residence, region, and party preferences using GUS NSP 2021 and 2024 European Parliament election results.