English Section

Poland’s president-elect backs upping tax-free allowance, signals readiness to work with government

11.06.2025 10:00
President-elect Karol Nawrocki said he will sign – or even table himself – a bill raising Poland’s annual income-tax allowance and vowed to keep the presidential palace open to “all political circles,” including voters who backed his liberal rival.
President-elect Karol Nawrocki.
President-elect Karol Nawrocki.Photo: PAP/Paweł Topolski

In an interview with Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, the conservative former head of the Institute of National Remembrance said some left-leaning voters supported him in the runoff, and he intends “not to disappoint” them.

“The government can count on my signature for a PLN 60,000 [~$16,100] tax-free threshold. If parliament drags its feet, I will use my own legislative initiative,” he said.

Nawrocki called for calm cooperation with Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz on national-security matters, saying: “In these areas there must be zero unnecessary emotion.”

He also signaled openness to a proposed law granting legal rights to a “nearest person,” provided it does not alter the constitutional definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

Ambassador dispute

The president-elect said he will invite Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski to resolve a backlog of ambassadorial nominations but drew “two red lines” against candidates Ryszard Schnepf and Bogdan Klich, arguing they “cannot serve Poland with dignity.” If those names are withdrawn, “we can reach an agreement,” he added, praising other nominees as high-caliber professionals.

Nawrocki, who takes office on August 6, repeated that post-war leaders must sometimes sign truces even after bitter conflict.

“I’m not saying I’ll sign a truce with Prime Minister Donald Tusk, but there are issues where I can help him,” he said.

($1 = PLN 3.73)

(jh)

Source: PAP, DGP