Poland braces for clashes with new nationalist president

Poland's new pro-Trump, nationalist president takes office this week, setting the scene for major confrontation with a prime minister whose government he has branded "the worst in history".

Karol Nawrocki, a political novice, will be inaugurated Wednesday after winning a June 1 election in a major blow for Prime Minister Donald Tusk's pro-EU government.

Nawrocki's close-run victory against liberal candidate Rafal Trzaskowski confirmed the high degree of political polarisation in the EU and NATO member state, a key supporter of its neighbour Ukraine.

Presidents in Poland can initiate as well as veto legislation, and have some influence over the country's foreign and defence policies.

The current president, Andrzej Duda, had already been at loggerheads with Tusk over many issues, including easing an almost total ban on abortion.

But relations are likely to be even worse under Nawrocki as the political climate heats up ahead of parliamentary elections planned for 2027, analysts said.

"I have no doubt that Mr Nawrocki will do everything to annoy us," said Tusk, who warned that he would not let Nawrocki "demolish" his government.

Speaking in an interview with the TVN news channel, Tusk also emphasised that the country's policies were "my responsibility and will remain so".

Nawrocki has repeatedly branded Tusk's government as "the worst in the history" of democratic Poland.

He has promised to be "an active president" from the start and has said he wants to "stimulate" the government with various bills.

The government holds a parliamentary majority but the two sides may be forced to make some compromises.

"Both parties should realise that engaging in intense confrontation is obviously not the way forward," said Piotr Trudnowski, a member of Klub Jagiellonski, a Christian-Democrat think tank.

'Poland First, Poles First'

Ewa Marciniak, a political scientist at the University of Warsaw, said that Nawrocki would have to work together with the government on foreign policy — an area in which he has "no experience".

During the election campaign, he highlighted the importance of ties with the United States.

An admirer of US President Donald Trump, Nawrocki met with the US leader briefly at the White House shortly before the first round of the election.

"It is precisely from this that he will build his foreign policy, at least initially," Marciniak said.

Nawrocki will face a highly experienced pro-EU duo — Tusk, a former president of the European Council, and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski.

Trudnowski said Nawrocki would "not be as enthusiastic" as his predecessor on ties with Ukraine.

During his campaign, Nawrocki opposed the idea of NATO membership for Ukraine and criticised Kyiv for not having "shown gratitude for what the Poles have done".

Under his slogan "Poland First, Poles First", he was critical of some of the benefits received by the more than one million Ukrainian refugees in the country.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has congratulated Nawrocki and emphasised the importance of close ties with Poland — a vital transit country for military and humanitarian supplies to Ukraine.

After speaking to Nawrocki by phone on Thursday, Zelensky said the two had agreed to visit each other and seek forms of cooperation "that will bring real results for both our countries and our people".

Zelensky said he was "thankful for the readiness to work together and for the assurance of continued support for Ukraine".