What does NRC think | The EU succeeds, even in Poland, not to make it clear in its meaning

The congratulations from Brussels and Washington for the new Polish president are telling. Ursula von der Leyen, the chairman of the European Commission, seems to want to reassure itself in her message To Karol Nawrocki. She has faith in a lasting ‘very good cooperation’ with Poland. « Let us guarantee the safety and prosperity of our shared house. » US President Donald Trump has one More confident message. « Trump’s ally wins in Poland, all of Europe shocked. Congratulations Poland, you have chosen a winner! »

With a tight victory-50.9 against 49.1 percent-the National-Conservative Nawrocki won the Polish presidential elections of his center-liberal opponent Rafal Trzaskowksi on Sunday. Nawrocki is affiliated with PIS, the EU-critical party that caused serious damage from 2015 to 2023. Trzaskowski was a candidate on behalf of the party of Pro-European Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

With Nawrocki as president, it becomes even more difficult for Tusk to implement reforms in the field of case law, LGBTI rights and abortion legislation. Restoring the disturbed relationship between Warsaw and Brussels becomes more difficult. The Polish president can express a veto about intended laws and thereby block new policy. That already happened under the current president, and Tusk cost a lot of credit since he took office at the end of 2023. Namrocki is expected to be even more aggressive, so that PIS is seen in the parliamentary elections in 2027 as a welcome alternative to the political stagnation.

Tusk also has a hard time. The president is not about foreign policy and Nawrocki is not Putin’s friend, but he responds to dissatisfaction with Ukrainian refugees in Poland and is against NATO membership for Ukraine. The leading role Within Europe that Tusk took on-also within the Weimar triangle of Poland, France and Germany-is less obvious now that it is weakened in his own country. The prime minister will focus his gaze more inside.

Poland is not alone with the choice of populist nationalism. Elsewhere in Central and Eastern Europe, the EU also does not succeed in making it clear to voters how much their country will benefit from membership. Leaders such as Orbán in Hungary and Fico in Slovakia present Brussels as an enemy and national sovereignty as ideal. In Romania, the pro-European presidential candidate won but just from his nationalist competitor. In the Czech Republic, the party of populist Andrej Babis de polls for the parliamentary elections from the beginning of October.

There is something that connects the nationalist leaders: they love Trump and Trump loves them. That love is not discreet: Nawrocki recently visited the White House. Neither is love: the American Minister for Interior Security Kristi calls said last week In Poland that is assured of the American soldiers with Nawrocki Poland.

Trump undermines the EU by supporting right -wing nationalists and middle parties to thwart. For example, European elections to a choice for Washington or Brussels, with Moscow, become a smiling third. For the time being, the EU and moderate European leaders do not have an adequate answer to the transatlantic interference. Such an answer is desperately needed.

To share

Mail the editors