Karol Nawrocki's first year: 41 vetoes, deep divide, 56% approval
Polish President Karol Nawrocki completes his first year on August 6 with a record 41 vetoes, the most of any post-1989 president, as polls show 56% approval but a deep political divide over his use of veto power.
A record-breaking veto count
Karol Nawrocki was sworn in as President of Poland on August 6, 2025, before the National Assembly. In his first year, he vetoed 41 bills, surpassing Aleksander Kwaśniewski's record of 35 vetoes over 10 years. Nawrocki also signed 245 bills into law. The vetoes covered the EU SAFE program, cryptocurrency market regulation (vetoed three times), the status of closest persons, criminal procedure reform, KRS reform, the CBA liquidation, Silesian language recognition, the Lower Odra Valley National Park, renewable energy, fuel company excess profits, and alcohol excise and sugar tax. Nawrocki rejected the "vetomachine" label, citing the 245 bills he signed.
- Nawrocki sworn in as President of Poland before the National Assembly
- Visit to Washington; Trump confirms security guarantees and no US troop reduction in Poland
- Formal first-year summary event at Presidential Palace courtyard in Warsaw
Government criticism and public division
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the year will be associated with blocking the SAFE program, the pardon of Legia Warszawa fan leader Piotr "Staruch" Staruchowicz, and the veto of the closest person status bill. Tusk said the president seeks to change the political system without amending the Constitution. Government spokesperson Adam Szłapka called it a "bad time," saying the president thinks in "purely political categories."
A United Surveys by IBRiS poll for Wirtualna Polska, conducted July 24-25 on a sample of 1,000 adults, found 52.8% view Nawrocki's vetoes as politically motivated, while 39.9% see them as merit-based. The divide is stark: 94% of governing coalition voters see the vetoes as political, while 72% of opposition voters see them as substantive.
- Politically motivated
- 52.8 %
- Merit-based
- 39.9 %
- Hard to say
- 7.3 %
Poll ratings and electoral outlook
The same poll found 56% evaluate Nawrocki's first year positively (33% "definitely positive," 23% "rather positive"), while 40.5% view it negatively (29.7% "definitely negative," 10.8% "rather negative"). Among governing coalition supporters, 0% gave a "definitely positive" rating and only 7% "rather positive," with 89% negative.
An SW Research poll for Wprost found that if elections were held in August 2026, 38.6% would vote for Nawrocki, 45% would not, and 16.4% had no opinion.
- Definitely positive
- 33 %
- Rather positive
- 23 %
- Rather negative
- 10.8 %
- Definitely negative
- 29.7 %
- Hard to say
- 3.5 %
Foreign policy and international standing
Nawrocki made 29 foreign visits, including four to the United States, received 26 credential letters, and hosted 13 foreign presidents and prime ministers. Spokesperson Rafał Leśkiewicz cited "very good relations" with US President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Nawrocki's first foreign visit was to Washington, where Trump confirmed security guarantees and no reduction of US troops in Poland.
His block of the EU SAFE program, refusal to swear in some Constitutional Tribunal judges, and deterioration of relations with Ukraine drew criticism. An SW Research poll for Onet found 47% positively evaluated his international representation, with 34.9% negative and 18.1% with no opinion. Men were more positive (52%) than women (42.4%).
Political reactions and anniversary events
Krzysztof Bosak, Deputy Marshal of the Sejm and Konfederacja leader, said he still evaluates Nawrocki's presidency positively, citing his international activity. Bosak criticized the conflict between the presidential and government camps, saying it "destroys the image of our state" and exceeds normal constitutional frameworks. He accused the prime minister of blocking agreement on ambassadorial nominations, calling it "anti-state."
Barbara Nowacka of Koalicja Obywatelska called Nawrocki's vetoes "senseless and, frankly, harmful to Poland," citing the SAFE veto as a scandal where the president struck at Poland's police and army. She said his chancellery "completely lacks professionalism," citing a veto justification that referenced text not in the bill.
It is such hitting the budget only to show that the worse it is for the government, meaning the worse it is for Poland and the Polish economy, the stronger Nawrocki is.
The president's office planned a formal first-year summary at the Presidential Palace courtyard at 17:30 on August 6, featuring a panel of publicists, an artistic program, and an address by Nawrocki.
