Poland: Nawrocki replaces Duda as president
Polish President Karol Nawrocki, who was elected at the beginning of June, will be sworn in today. Like his predecessor Andrzej Duda, who was president for ten years, Nawrocki represents national conservative positions. The media concludes that the confrontation between the head of state and Donald Tusk's government will continue.
Both camps ready for battle
Rzeczpospolita's editor-in-chief Michał Szułdrzyński has no expectations that the president and the government will be able to work together productively:
“On 6 August, Karol Nawrocki will not only begin his presidency, he will also embark on the next battle in the Polish-Polish war. I would gladly be proven wrong, but many of the personnel decisions Nawrocki has made suggest that he is preparing for a clash with Donald Tusk and the governing coalition. The latest government reshuffle should be viewed in the same light. Both Tusk and Nawrocki have not so much refurnished the institutions under their control as deployed troops that will compete in the next rounds of a political conflict that in France has been referred to for almost 40 years as cohabitation.”
From bad to worse
Newsweek Polska has low expectations in view of Nawrocki's track record:
“It's almost a truism to write that we may yet come to miss Duda. Even though the bar has already been set very low, everything points to Karol Nawrocki not clearing it. After all, at least when his predecessor moved into the palace he hadn't been involved in hooligan brawls out in the woods or in swindling the elderly, nor did he have close contacts with the underworld.”
Country continues on conservative path
News website wPolityce.pl sees Nawrocki's presidency as a sign of continuity:
“Together with the conservative camp, President Andrzej Duda strengthened the security of the state, restored the dignity of Polish families and rebuilt pride in Poland. And although for 18 months a coalition has been in government that seems to reject all these values, Karol Nawrocki's victory is confirmation that Poles want the conservative course to continue.”
Unity only on defence
The political rifts in the country could deepen and lead to mutual blockades, NRC comments:
“Nawrocki's victory is likely to exacerbate the political stalemate in Poland. ... Tusk may try to work with Nawrocki, but the expectation is that the only area on which the two will be able to reach an agreement is defence because of the Russian threat. On the other hand, Tusk could corner Nawrocki by sending dozens of bills to the presidential palace, which Nawrocki is likely to veto. In this way Tusk will further divide an already deeply polarised Poland.”