Nawrocki’s First Year: Record Vetos, Clashes with Tusk, and a New Vision for the State

Marking his first year in office, Polish President Karol Nawrocki faces intense scrutiny over a record number of vetos and sharp political confrontations with Donald Tusk’s government.

A Year of Cohabitation and Conflict

On August 6, 2025, Karol Nawrocki assumed the office of President of the Republic of Poland, taking his oath before the National Assembly. One year later, during a speech in front of the Presidential Palace, he summarized the first twelve months of his term.

According to presidential spokesman Rafał Leśkiewicz, it was a “year of good presidency for Poland,” though carried out under difficult conditions of cohabitation with the government. The Chancellery of the Presidency points to activity in security policy, international relations, and the consistent defense of the constitution.

Representatives of the government evaluate this period entirely differently. Prime Minister Donald Tusk and government spokesman Adam Szłapka emphasize that the president repeatedly blocked draft bills prepared by the cabinet, and his actions were primarily political in nature.

The most visible manifestation of the conflict was the record number of presidential vetos.

SAFE and Other Laws Blocked by the President

The greatest emotions were sparked by the veto of the law implementing the EU SAFE mechanism. The government argued that the solution was intended to enable the use of funds from an EU loan for the needs of the military and state security services. The president’s decision was met with sharp criticism from the ruling coalition.

Among the laws vetoed by Karol Nawrocki were also, among others, particular controversies raised by the triple vetoing of regulations governing the cryptocurrency market.

Presidential Legislative Initiatives

Concurrently, the president presented his own bills. Some of these were an alternative to the vetoed government solutions, while others constituted the implementation of electoral promises.

Among the initiatives were projects concerning various issues, while he also twice directed motions to the Senate regarding EU climate policy and the Green Deal. The first motion was rejected by the upper house.

Dispute Over Courts and the Constitution

One of the main fields of conflict between the president and the government remained the judiciary. Karol Nawrocki announced at the beginning of his term that he would not appoint or promote judges who, in his assessment, undermine the current legal order. Several months later, he refused to appoint 46 judges.

Subsequently, the dispute shifted to issues of assessor nominations. Following the Constitutional Tribunal’s ruling regarding the prime minister’s countersignature, the president decided to hand out nomination acts himself, triggering another sharp reaction from Donald Tusk.

At the same time, Nawrocki repeatedly emphasized the need to change the constitution. In his assessment, the current model of power division between the president and prime minister is dysfunctional, leading him to advocate for strengthening the presidential system and appointing a New Constitution Council to prepare a draft of the new basic law.

Ambassadors and Further Points of Contention

Tensions between the Presidential Palace and the government were also visible in foreign policy, with the dispute over ambassadorial nominations remaining the most glaring example.

From the beginning of his term, Nawrocki has not signed any nomination presented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and talks with Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski have not led to a breakthrough.

Foreign Policy: Closer to the US, Further from Ukraine

In foreign policy, one of the president’s priorities was tightening relations with the United States. During his first year, Nawrocki visited the US four times and met with President Donald Trump, securing declarations regarding the maintenance of American troop presence in Poland and an invitation to the US-organized G20 summit.

According to the Presidential Chancellery, strengthening NATO’s eastern flank and developing cooperation within the Visegrad Group, the Bucharest Nine, and the Three Seas Initiative were also important elements of international activity.

Relations with Ukraine proved significantly more difficult. Nawrocki has not yet visited Kyiv, emphasizing the need to “realistically adjust” Polish-Ukrainian relations. The greatest crisis was triggered by the decision to strip Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle after a Ukrainian military unit was named in honor of the UPA, prompting Zelenskyy to return the decoration to Warsaw.

Pardons and Building a Political Base

The president’s decisions regarding the power of pardon also focused public attention. Over the course of the year, he applied it to seven individuals, including Piotr “Staruch” Staruchowicz and anti-communist opposition activist Adam Borowski.

Simultaneously, commentators noted actions indicating an attempt to consolidate right-wing circles around the head of state. Nawrocki met with Confederation leaders, participated in the Independence March, and emphasized his ties to sports and fan communities.

Experts Divided on the Presidency

Assessments of the first year of the presidency remain extremely divergent. According to political scientist Wawrzyniec Konarski, the president consistently tries to weaken the government’s actions and build his own position as leader of the entire right wing, noting that Nawrocki’s ambitions exceed the standard role of the head of state.

A contrasting position is presented by Andrzej Gil from the Catholic University of Lublin (KUL), who argues that Nawrocki successfully restored political balance amid severe political polarization, believing the president should actively use his veto power and serve as a real counterweight to the government.

After a year in office, one thing is beyond doubt: Karol Nawrocki’s presidency has become one of the main factors shaping political conflict in Poland, with disputes over presidential competencies, relations with the government, and the future state model remaining central themes for the coming years.