President Karol Nawrocki’s visit to Hungary to meet with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán during the Hungarian parliamentary election campaign has drawn criticism from Polish political scientists.
Polish Experts Deem Visit a ‘Mistake’
On Monday, March 23rd, Karol Nawrocki participated in the Polish-Hungarian Friendship Day celebrations in Przemyśl alongside Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok. Later, discussions continued in Budapest, where Nawrocki also met with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The visit occurred during the peak of the campaign before the parliamentary elections scheduled for April 12th.
“Until now, there has been a custom between Poland and Hungary not to make such gestures during an election campaign,” commented Dr. Anna Materska-Sosnowska from the University of Warsaw in an interview with PAP. “These are parliamentary elections concerning the prime minister, and we are talking about President Nawrocki, who should have limited himself to meeting with the Hungarian president.”
Alignment with Trump’s Allies
Materska-Sosnowska emphasized that the meetings should be viewed in the context of Nawrocki’s desire to be part of a coalition of allies of Donald Trump, for whom Orbán is a partner. She added that she was surprised by Nawrocki’s decision, given Orbán’s close alliance with Putin, calling it an “absolute mistake.”
She pointed out that Nawrocki has “no international position in Europe” and therefore accepted the invitation to the detriment of Polish policy.
Previous Invitation Declined
The expert recalled that Nawrocki had previously declined a meeting with Orbán in December 2025 during a visit to Hungary, citing Orbán’s visit to Moscow just days before the planned event. “I don’t know what the president’s advisors were thinking when they advised him to meet with Orbán on Monday,” she added.
Reinforcing Existing Support
Professor Tomasz Słomka from UW shares a similar view, believing the visit will not positively impact support for the president but may reinforce the conviction of his existing supporters that they made the right choice by voting for him.
Słomka suggested the president may be attempting to position himself as a leader in Central and Eastern Europe, demonstrating that he—unlike the government of Donald Tusk—maintains contacts with the Visegrád Group.
Confrontation with a Journalist
During the celebrations in Przemyśl, when both presidents were leaving the stage, a TVN journalist asked Nawrocki if he was bothered by Orbán’s close relationship with Putin. Nawrocki responded, “The editor should get a grip and listen to what the President of Poland says. Vladimir Putin is a criminal, do you understand, editor?” while waving his finger at the journalist.
Nervous Reaction and Trumpian Gestures
Materska-Sosnowska, commenting on this situation, noted the president’s nervousness. She observed that Rafał Leśkiewicz, the president’s spokesperson, attempted to prevent Nawrocki from responding, but the president “couldn’t restrain himself.”
She criticized Nawrocki’s emphasis on his position as President of Poland and his “arrogant” tone, comparing his gestures, such as waving his finger, to those of Donald Trump towards journalists.
Patryk Barej (PAP)