The gauntlet has been thrown down. Sparks will fly between Nawrocki and Tusk.

President Karol Nawrocki is challenging Prime Minister Donald Tusk, the British newspaper Financial Times reported on Wednesday, the day the new Polish president was sworn in. According to the newspaper, Poland, one of the largest economies in the EU, is facing a prolonged domestic political stalemate.

Reporting on Nawrocki's speech in parliament, the FT highlighted his announcement of opposition to judicial reforms, his questioning of pro-EU policies, and his call for constitutional changes. "This highlighted the likelihood of a confrontational presidency and an awkward coexistence with Tusk and his reformist, pro-European agenda," the article reads.

The British newspaper called Nawrocki a "political novice" who "accused Tusk's administration of making illegal appointments to positions of officials (judges – PAP) chosen by the nationalist Law and Justice party." The article quotes a fragment of his address to the Sejm, in which he said that "it is difficult to call a state lawful in which there is no legally elected national prosecutor."

“Nawrocki seems to be an even more combative opponent than his predecessor Andrzej Duda,” the FT assessed, recalling that in recent months Duda has used the presidential veto power on reforms, including those concerning the judiciary, proposed by Prime Minister Tusk’s government.

The newspaper also noted that "Nawrocki, a former amateur boxer and self-proclaimed football hooligan, has signaled opposition to Tusk's other flagship policies, including deeper European integration."

Reporting on the president's speech before the National Assembly, the FT wrote that Nawrocki and his wife received a standing ovation from right-wing parliamentarians chanting the name "Karol" as they entered the chamber. "Donald Tusk, sitting with his ministers, remained unsmiling and did not applaud," the newspaper noted.

The FT reported that the prime minister posted a video on social media before the president's address, urging his supporters to remain united in the face of his presidential election defeat. Following Nawrocki's speech, Donald Tusk announced that members of his government, as "guardians of the constitution," would oppose any attempts to exceed the president's powers.

The article also noted that even before the presidential election, Nawrocki had expressed opposition to Ukraine's accession to the EU and NATO. It also recalled that during a telephone conversation last week with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, "Nawrocki reiterated his demands that Kyiv recognize the atrocities committed by Ukrainians on its territory against Poles during World War II, but also promised continued support for Ukraine in its war with Russia."

The address that new President Karol Nawrocki delivered in the Sejm on Wednesday heralds a conflict with the pro-European government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, the British newspaper "Guardian" assessed. In its commentary, the newspaper also emphasized the importance of Nawrocki's personal relationship with US President Donald Trump.

According to the Guardian, the new Polish president's speech was "directly addressed to Prime Minister Donald Tusk and his allies." He quoted a fragment of Nawrocki's statement, in which he argued that voters had signaled in the presidential election that "government cannot continue this way and that Poland should not look like this today."

The newspaper recalled that Nawrocki ran his election campaign under the slogan "Poland First, Poles First," which echoed Trump's slogan "America First." It also mentioned the importance of Trump's support for Nawrocki during a meeting in Washington in the final weeks before the Polish elections.

Reporting on the Polish president's Wednesday address to the National Assembly, the Guardian noted that a delegation from the White House attended the ceremony. "It's also worth noting that Nawrocki wore a distinctive red tie, inspired by Trump," it wrote.

According to the newspaper, given Russia's increasingly aggressive policies, "Poland will be counting on Nawrocki's personal relationship with Trump to help it in defense talks with the US administration." The article cited former Polish ambassador to the United States Marek Magierowski, who, in an analysis for the Atlantic Council think tank, assessed that ties between the politicians could "help both countries maintain their alliance in the fight against Russia."

According to the newspaper, "Nawrocki will use his full powers to counter Tusk's increasingly unpopular position." In his speech, the president outlined "several initial battle lines," including questioning the government's plan to restore the rule of law and announcing constitutional amendments by 2030.

“Law and Justice hopes to capitalize on Nawrocki’s success in the run-up to the 2027 parliamentary elections to return to power, potentially in coalition with the far-right Konfederacja,” the daily concluded.

From London Marta Zabłocka (PAP)

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