Poland’s new president brings hard line on refugees, abortion and rule of law

Supporters of Karol Nawrocki, president elect supported by Poland's right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party, gather in front of the Supreme Court building in Warsaw, Poland, Tuesday, 1 July 2025. AP - Czarek Sokolowski

Karol Nawrocki’s inauguration as Poland’s new president on Wednesday has set the stage for a turbulent power struggle with Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s pro-European government and raised fears among Poland’s Ukrainian community.

The historian and author used his swearing-in speech to parliament to make his position clear: “No to illegal immigration, no to the euro.”