NEWSLETTER
From Poland with Love. July
Topic of the Month
Reconstruction
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has reshuffled his government in an effort to regain political momentum after his coalition’s candidate suffered a defeat in the June 1 presidential election. “After the political earthquake that was the presidential election... it is time to take up anew the challenges we faced after October 15 and move with additional energy to realize this beautiful dream of our secure Poland,” Tusk said.
The formation of the new government was fraught with difficulty. Public disagreements among coalition partners made the process long and, at times, uncomfortable for public opinion to watch. In particular, Poland 2050 was widely perceived as a disruptive force, often criticized for its inability to engage in cooperative governance. Commentators note, however, that Szymon Hołownia and his party are both coalition members and its most vocal internal critics. “If someone does not like it, he will need to say goodbye to his job,” Tusk remarked.
The revamped cabinet has been slimmed down to 21 ministers from the previous 26 — still far from the smallest government in Europe, as Tusk once promised. Two so-called "super-ministries" were created: one for the economy and one for energy.
The Ministry of Economy was formed by merging the finance and economy portfolios and is now headed by current Finance Minister Andrzej Domański. “The most important structural undertaking is building a viable financial and economic center. There will be a single center operating transparently and implementing a comprehensive economic policy,” Tusk stated.
The Ministry of Energy will be led by PSL’s Miłosz Motyka and will combine the former Ministry of Industry with part of the Ministry of Climate. However, the exact scope and influence of the new ministry remain unclear. Several key state-owned enterprises will remain under the control of a different ministry, and the climate minister is reportedly fighting to retain as much power as possible in the energy sector.
Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski was promoted to Deputy Prime Minister while retaining his current post. “We as a government need a very strong political figure in international relations,” Tusk told reporters.
One of the most surprising appointments was Judge Waldemar Żurek, who replaced Adam Bodnar as Minister of Justice. Żurek, one of the independent judges persecuted under PiS, is seen as highly motivated to implement deep reforms in the judiciary. He is expected to take a more assertive approach than his predecessor. “I will do everything to restore a lawful state and the principles of the tripartite division of power, and to respect the constitution and all international treaties binding Poland,” he declared. New minister has quickly announced a sweeping set of dismissals, saying he had removed more than 50 officials in a week. Analysts believe both Sikorski and Żurek will play key roles in Tusk’s anticipated direct confrontation with the newly elected president.
Another significant change was the replacement of Tomasz Siemoniak by Marcin Kierwiński — one of Tusk’s closest allies — as Minister of the Interior. Kierwiński previously held the post in 2023, later moved to the European Parliament briefly, and most recently served as the government’s plenipotentiary for the flood relief program. His return is expected to accelerate the purge of PiS-era appointments in the ministry.
Additional key appointments include:
• Minister of Health: Independent healthcare manager Jolanta Sobierańska-Grenda, succeeding Izabela Leszczyna
• Minister of Culture: Poland 2050’s Marta Cienkowska, replacing independent Hanna Wróblewska
• Coordinator for Special Services and the Fight Against Illegal Migration: Tomasz Siemoniak
• Minister of State Assets: Independent manager Wojciech Balczun
• Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development: Stefan Krajewski, replacing Czesław Siekierski (both from PSL)
• Minister of Sport: Jakub Rutnicki, replacing Sławomir Nitras (a key ally of Rafał Trzaskowski)
Minister Maciej Berek will play a key role in the government as a de facto deputy prime minister. He will be responsible for implementing government policy and, together with Chief of the Chancellery Jan Grabiec and their team, will oversee the monitoring and regular evaluation of ministerial commitments.
Tusk emphasized that his reshaped Cabinet will prioritize “order, security, and the future,” framing these goals in the context of threats from “aggressive Russia and Belarus.” “We live in a black swan reality, but we won’t let it surprise us,” he said, vowing to counter Russian and Belarusian efforts to destabilize Poland.
Not everyone was impressed. “Reconstruction means nothing other than the further destruction of Poland. Some incompetents were replaced by others,” PiS vice-president Mariusz Błaszczak wrote on X.
Politics
Border Defence Movement
Robert Bąkiewicz, a far-right leader and former president of the Independence March (read more in the March 2023 issue), has launched a new organization called the Border Defence Movement (ROG). According to Bąkiewicz, its mission is to defend Poland against what he describes as the threat of illegal immigration from Germany—specifically, so-called “German pushbacks.” The group organizes citizen patrols along Poland’s borders and demands the reintroduction of controls with Germany, withdrawal from the EU Migration Pact, a halt to immigration infrastructure, and rejection of multiculturalism.
Leaked recordings have surfaced revealing Bąkiewicz instructing his militia to feign patriotic concern as a social media strategy. He recently disrupted a press conference by Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak at the Świecko border crossing and allegedly insulted police officers during the confrontation, calling them “dogs” while simultaneously seeking their protection. Prosecutors are reportedly preparing charges against him for insulting uniformed officers.
ROG has drawn support from the opposition. Bąkiewicz, who ran as a PiS candidate in the last parliamentary elections (read more in the August 2023 issue), is seen helping opposition leader Jarosław Kaczyński seize control of the migration debate—an issue until now dominated by the far-right Confederation party. Confederation has staged over 80 anti-migration protests across Poland, calling for border closures with Lithuania, Ukraine, Belarus, and Slovakia. In response, PiS is organizing a large anti-migration march in Warsaw. The two parties have begun clashing publicly over leadership of the nationalist agenda.
Both PiS and Confederation are protesting the creation of 49 EU-funded migrant integration centres. Ironically, these centres—offering language classes and legal and psychological support—were designed and initiated under the previous PiS government. Now, many of the same politicians who launched them are rallying against them.
President Andrzej Duda has partially lifted a penalty imposed on Bąkiewicz for a 2023 assault on women’s rights activist "Grandma Kasia." Prime Minister Donald Tusk condemned the move on X, calling it “a scandal in the human, moral dimension,” and warned that the pardon is a political signal: “Bąkiewicz, Nawrocki, Kaczyński, and Braun will stop at nothing to regain power.”
Tusk has also issued a warning to ROG activists: any attempt to obstruct official operations at Poland’s borders will be met with severe penalties. He emphasized that border crossings are now designated as critical infrastructure and are under special protection. Police have been instructed to respond firmly to any disruptions.
Poland has reintroduced border controls with Germany and Lithuania amid reports of increased irregular migration from Lithuania and accusations that Germany is pushing migrants into Poland. In just one weekend, Polish border guards checked 29,000 people at the German border and 26,000 at the Lithuanian border, preventing 330 illegal entry attempts. Authorities are pursuing detention for 39 individuals.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU, EPP) proposed joint Polish-German patrols. Deputy PM Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz rejected the idea outright: “No, no! There will be no joint patrols… The minister from Germany will not tell us what to do in Poland.”
Meanwhile, a poll by Opinia24 shows that 54% of respondents support the Border Defence Movement: 30% see it as a definitely good initiative, 24% as rather good, while 34% are opposed.
Chaos in the Media Regulator
The Sejm has voted to bring Maciej Świrski, President of the National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT), before the State Tribunal — a constitutional body responsible for trying high-ranking officials. KRRiT is Poland’s constitutional media regulator. The resolution passed with 237 votes, exceeding the required 217. A total of 179 lawmakers opposed it, while 16 abstained. The resolution also suspended Świrski from his duties.
Świrski stands accused of blocking around PLN 300 million (EUR 70.4 million) from the license fee that was intended for public radio and television. He is also alleged to have obstructed broadcasting concessions for private and independent media outlets, including TVN, TVN24, Radio Tok FM, and Radio Zet, as well as failing to publish legally required viewership statistics. The Supreme Audit Office (NIK) previously reported notifying prosecutors of a potential crime committed by KRRiT after subscription fee revenues were deposited into a court escrow account in early 2024 instead of being distributed to public broadcasters.
A close ally of the Law and Justice (PiS) party, Świrski declared he would not step down voluntarily and reported to work the following day. He has since filed a petition with the European Parliament, arguing that the Sejm violated Article 30 of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive, which obligates EU member states to ensure the independence of media regulators. Meanwhile, PiS had already appealed to the politicized Constitutional Tribunal in an attempt to block the proceedings against Świrski. In 2024, the Tribunal, stacked with PiS loyalists, issued an interim decision ordering the parliament to suspend any action related to the case until a full ruling could be delivered.
It had been widely expected that KRRiT would become yet another flashpoint in the ongoing struggle between the current and former parliamentary majorities — and yet another tool in PiS’s broader effort to destabilize state institutions, alongside the Supreme Court and the National Council of the Judiciary. However, in a surprising turn of events just hours after the resolution against Świrski was adopted, KRRiT — despite being dominated by PiS nominees — voted to dismiss him.
“In accordance with Article 9, Section 1, in conjunction with Article 7, Section 2b of the Act of 29 December 1992 on Broadcasting, and guided by the need to safeguard the constitutional responsibilities of the National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT), which have been endangered by the actions of the ruling coalition in the Sejm, the Members of the Council have dismissed Maciej Świrski, by a statutory majority of four votes, from the position of Chairman of the KRRiT,” read a statement published on the KRRiT website.
He was replaced by Agnieszka Glapiak. In effect, PiS appointees sacrificed one of their own, concluding that maintaining an operational KRRiT was more important than defending Świrski. It was a pragmatic decision — but one that left Świrski stunned by the loss of party protection.
Glapiak previously headed the Operations Center of the Ministry of National Defense, where she was responsible for internal communication and media relations. The prosecutor’s office has accused her of misappropriating a Longines La Grande Classique watch worth nearly PLN 6,000 (ca. EUR 1.300), purchased with public funds. She has also been charged with aiding then-Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak in the unauthorized declassification of a fragment of the Polish Armed Forces' “Warta” plan in 2023.
Election Irregularities
Poland’s national prosecutor’s office has uncovered discrepancies in vote counts from the June 1 presidential election, revealing that more than 1,500 votes were incorrectly attributed to the winning candidate, Karol Nawrocki. Despite these errors, officials confirmed that the overall outcome remains unchanged, with Nawrocki still holding a lead of nearly 370,000 votes over his rival, Rafał Trzaskowski.
The review was part of an ongoing investigation into alleged electoral irregularities and focused on 250 polling stations identified as high-risk by a statistical model developed by a political scientist from the University of Warsaw. A recount in 296 commissions found that Nawrocki had received 1,538 fewer votes than initially reported, while Trzaskowski gained 1,541 additional votes.
“Math shows that this difference would not change the election results,” said Przemysław Nowak, spokesperson for the national prosecutor’s office.
The then Justice Minister Adam Bodnar had originally called for a broader recount, but the scope was narrowed following expert analysis. Prosecutors have launched 17 criminal investigations into potential vote-counting violations, with inquiries still ongoing.
Bishop on “Political Gangsters”
Wiesław Mering, a bishop emeritus of Włoclawek, has sparked controversy after declaring during a homily at Poland’s holiest Catholic shrine that the country “is ruled by political gangsters” and warning that irregular migration will lead to the “Islamisation of Europe.” Mering also claimed that Poland is “ruled by people who call themselves Germans.” His remarks were delivered during the annual pilgrimage organized by the ultra-conservative Catholic broadcaster Radio Maryja to the Jasna Góra Monastery in Częstochowa, home to the revered Black Madonna icon.
In response, Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski condemned Mering’s comments, accusing him of “inciting against refugees,” and calling the bishop’s position “intellectually inconsistent,” noting that Christianity’s “founder was a refugee.” “If a bishop wants to engage in politics, he should take off his cassock and join the Law and Justice party,” Sikorski added. The Polish foreign ministry has submitted an official note of protest to Javier Domingo Fernández González, head of protocol at the Vatican’s Secretariat of State.
Meanwhile, father Tadeusz Rydzyk, founder of Radio Maryja and head of its broader media network, criticized what he alleged is the removal of religious education classes from schools by Education Minister Barbara Nowacka. “What are you thinking, you woman? We Catholics must not allow anyone to spit on the Church and God,” Rydzyk declared. “Let’s not allow our faith to be taken from us. To destroy the faith, the Church, and then the nation itself, Islamisation and gender ideology are being forcibly introduced.”
Economy
Huge Oil Deposit?
An oil field described as the largest ever discovered in Poland has been located off the coast of Świnoujście. The Canadian company Central European Petroleum (CEP) announced the find following test drilling and geological analysis. The area, known as Wolin East, is estimated to contain 33 million tons of crude oil and 27 billion cubic meters of natural gas. Of that, an estimated 22 million tons of oil and 5 billion cubic meters of gas are believed to be recoverable.
If confirmed, the discovery would more than double Poland’s current estimated oil reserves, which stood at approximately 20.2 million tons in 2023. It would become the country’s largest known conventional hydrocarbon deposit and rank among the most significant in Europe over the past decade.
Professor Krzysztof Galos, Polish Undersecretary of State and Chief National Geologist, called the project a potential turning point for Poland’s energy independence, saying it could substantially reduce the nation’s reliance on external hydrocarbon supplies. However, he also acknowledged concerns that oil extraction activities might negatively impact tourism revenue along the Baltic coast.
The well was drilled using a jack-up platform positioned in waters 9.5 meters deep and reached a total vertical depth of 2,715 meters.
Foreign Affairs
Reshuffling Ambassadors
Poland's Foreign Ministry has announced the permanent withdrawal of its ambassador to Hungary in response to what it described as a "hostile act": the granting of asylum to former Polish Deputy Justice Minister Marcin Romanowski, who faces serious corruption charges. Romanowski, a former PiS MP and deputy minister, has been charged with participation in an organized crime group and the attempted embezzlement of approximately EUR 40 million from a fund for crime victims, which he oversaw (read more in the July 2024 issue).
Hungary justified its decision by claiming that Romanowski's “legal case is not guaranteed to be dealt with impartially and free from political influence in their home country beyond a reasonable doubt.” The Polish Foreign Ministry did not clarify whether a new ambassador would be appointed to replace the one withdrawn.
Meanwhile, Maciej Hunia has officially assumed his post as Poland’s ambassador to Israel, following his previous role as chargé d’affaires ad interim at the Polish embassy in Tel Aviv. His appointment ends a four-year vacancy in the ambassadorial post. Poland withdrew its ambassador in 2021 during a diplomatic dispute over a proposed restitution law that Israel argued would have significantly impeded Holocaust survivors and their descendants from reclaiming property stolen during or after World War II. At the time, Israel’s then–Foreign Minister Yair Lapid denounced the legislation as “an immoral, antisemitic law” (read more in the August 2021 issue).
Israeli President Isaac Herzog welcomed Hunia’s appointment, stating: “This marks an important step – both against the backdrop of the long and complex history between our nations, and because of Poland’s important voice in Europe and on the international stage at this critical time.”
Society
Less Poles, More Europeans
Last year, Poland’s population declined by over 123,000 people – the largest overall drop among all European Union member states for the second consecutive year. In relative terms, taking into account the size of each country’s population, Poland recorded the EU’s joint-third-largest decrease at 0.34%, tied with Estonia. Only Latvia (-0.99%) and Hungary (-0.47%) saw greater proportional declines.
In contrast, the majority of EU member states experienced population growth in 2024. Overall, the EU’s total population increased by 1.07 million, representing a 0.24% rise.
Culture
OurBoys
An exhibition in Gdańsk on Poles who served in the German army during the Second World War has sparked a wave of outrage across Poland. Titled “Our Boys. Residents of Gdańsk Pomerania in the Army of the Third Reich”, it is the first monographic exhibition to comprehensively address the service of residents from East Pomerania in the German military during WWII. The exhibition explores not only the causes, trajectory, and consequences of mass recruitment by the Third Reich in the region, but also critically examines the ways in which this phenomenon was remembered—or deliberately forgotten—after 1945.
The exhibition was developed in collaboration with the Museum of the Second World War in Gdańsk and the Centre for Historical Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Berlin (Zentrum für Historische Forschung Berlin).
Politicians from both the ruling coalition and the opposition have voiced sharp criticism. “Portraying soldiers of the Third Reich as ‘ours’ is not only a historical falsehood but also a moral provocation, even if the photos of young men in Hitler’s uniforms depict Poles who were forcibly conscripted,” said President Andrzej Duda. “Poles, as a nation, were victims of German occupation and German terror, not its perpetrators or participants. Gdańsk—the place where World War II began—should not become a stage for narratives that blur the responsibility of the perpetrators,” he added.
Former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “What is happening in Gdańsk is part of a broader pattern aimed at distorting historical truth and relativizing the evil committed by Germans on Polish territory.” Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz (PSL) added that the exhibition “does not serve Poland’s interests or historical narrative,” insisting that it is “Poland’s heroes who defended the homeland against Nazi Germany who deserve exhibitions.”
However, several progressive politicians have come to the exhibition’s defense. Civic Coalition MP Piotr Adamowicz, who represents Gdańsk, wrote on social media: “Congratulations to the curators for addressing this difficult topic. Thank you to the dozens of families from Pomerania and Gdańsk who shared family mementos. Difficult history should not be weaponized for political gain.” Łukasz Kohut, an MEP from Silesia, added: “My ancestors, Silesians, also died in the war, often wearing a uniform that wasn’t Polish. They don’t deserve to be forgotten. History is not black and white—and it’s time we stop pretending it ever was.”
Dr. Andrzej Gierszewski, director of the Museum of Gdańsk, acknowledged the controversy: “We were aware that the exhibition might evoke strong emotions, especially among people raised in the historical traditions of other Polish regions. But our role as a museum is to educate—not to shy away from difficult topics. We aim to present the complexity of history, including parts that for decades were marginalized or deemed inconvenient.”
Iga Świątek Makes History with Wimbledon Triumph—and a Culinary Surprise
Iga Świątek delivered a commanding performance in the Wimbledon final, defeating American Amanda Anisimova 6–0, 6–0 in the most one-sided women’s final at the tournament in 114 years. It marks the first time since 1911 that a woman has won the Wimbledon final without dropping a single game. This victory not only gives Świątek her first Wimbledon title but also her sixth Grand Slam overall.
She is now the only active WTA player to hold Grand Slam titles on all three surfaces and boasts a flawless 6–0 record in major finals. Among active WTA players, she ranks second in total Grand Slam titles, behind only Venus Williams, who has seven.
Off the court, Świątek sparked global conversation with an unexpected culinary confession: her favorite dish is pasta with strawberries. “I ate it often as a child,” she said. “You should try it—pasta, strawberries, and a bit of yogurt. It’s just delicious.” The revelation raised eyebrows worldwide—particularly in Italy—but also won hearts for its nostalgic charm.
According to the Media Monitoring Institute, Świątek’s video featuring the dish reached approximately 25 million internet users outside Poland within just a few days. The quirky combination ignited a wave of reactions online and was featured by major international outlets including The New York Times and Reuters, where presenters even prepared and tasted the dish live on air.
In a light-hearted twist, the Polish and U.S. embassies made a friendly bet ahead of the final. If Świątek won, the spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw agreed to eat pasta with strawberries. Had Anisimova prevailed, the head of communications at the Polish Embassy in Washington would have eaten a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Prime Minister Donald Tusk also joined in on the fun, posting a photo on X showing himself holding a plate of pasta with strawberries and cream while watching Świątek's match.
Poland & Germany
Returns
For the first time since records began in 2000, more people are returning from Germany to Poland than migrating in the opposite direction. In 2024, Germany recorded a net migration loss of 8,725 to Poland, with 90,807 people moving to Poland and 82,082 moving to Germany. This marks a significant shift in migration patterns, as Germany has historically been a top destination for Polish workers—particularly after opening its labour market to Poles in 2011.
The reversal is largely attributed to Poland’s robust economic performance. The Polish economy has grown faster than any other EU member over the past three decades. Unemployment is low, wages are rising, and in 2023, Poland surpassed Spain in the EU’s household wealth index. As a result, returning to Poland has become increasingly attractive for members of the Polish diaspora.
At the same time, fewer workers from Eastern Europe are now heading to Germany to fill labour gaps in sectors such as agriculture and nursing. Meanwhile, Poland has become the EU’s top destination for non-EU immigrants, issuing the highest number of first residence permits for seven consecutive years. However, the current Polish government is tightening its migration policies, issuing fewer work permits in 2024 compared to the previous year.
Polls & Trends
Party Support
Pollster for SuperExpress
Civic Coalition 32,1%
PiS 31,9%
Confederation 12%
Left 6,2%
Poland 2050 4,9%
Crown 4,8%
Together 4,4%
PSL 3,2%