Karol Nawrocki, the conservative contender in Poland’s upcoming presidential race, has vowed to protect workers’ rights, uphold family benefits, and challenge EU climate policies.
In a pact with Solidarity (Solidarność), Poland’s largest trade union, Nawrocki committed to maintaining the current retirement age, defending the minimum wage, preserving the Sunday trading ban, and safeguarding Polish agriculture.
He also pledged to resist the EU’s Green Deal, promising to hold a national referendum on the matter. Until Poland secures nuclear energy as a stable power source, he insists that coal mines must not be shut down. As a Christian and Catholic, he supports Poland’s strict abortion laws and opposes same-sex civil unions, emphasizing the need to uphold traditional values.
While the Polish presidency is largely ceremonial, the president holds veto power over legislation. With incumbent Andrzej Duda unable to seek re-election, Nawrocki, backed by the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, is expected to face liberal candidate and Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski in a runoff.
Speaking at a Solidarity event, union leader Piotr Duda encouraged members to rally behind Nawrocki, while the candidate himself compared today’s government to Poland’s communist past, arguing that once again, those in power are failing the nation’s economy and its people.
The first round of voting takes place on May 18, with a potential runoff on June 1.
