The decision came less than a month before the end of Duda’s second term and has drawn condemnation from political leaders and cultural figures alike.
Bąkiewicz, a notorious figure on Poland’s nationalist right, has frequently made headlines over inflammatory statements and repeated court convictions.
PM, FM slam president over far-right pardon
Earlier this month, as activists linked to Bąkiewicz’s Border Defense Movement appeared near parts of the Polish-German border, Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski accused him of stoking fear and “repaying” the millions in public funding he received under the previous right-wing government by fueling social tensions.
Sikorski said he was “appalled” that the president had praised a "fascist" figure.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Tuesday called the pardon “not only a moral scandal, but also a clear political signal that this entire camp - along with figures like Nawrocki, Kaczyński and Braun - will stop at nothing to regain power.”
Jakub Żulczyk mocks Duda with sarcastic proposal
One of Poland’s most prominent contemporary writers, Jakub Żulczyk - known for his unflinching social commentary and a previous legal battle with President Duda, who sued him for calling him a “moron” - also weighed in.
This time, with biting sarcasm, Żulczyk urged the president not to forget to decorate other notorious figures, including recently convicted neo-fascists nicknamed Ludwiczek and Jaszczur, and to award the prestigious Order of the White Eagle to far-right MEP Grzegorz Braun, who has been widely condemned for spreading Holocaust disinformation.
Panie Prezydencie, po co tak wąsko na sam koniec. Szerokim chlebem. Ułaskawienia jeszcze dla Ludwiczka i Jaszczura, a dla Brauna Order Orła Białego.
Opublikowany przez Jakuba Żulczyka Wtorek, 15 lipca 2025
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Source: Facebook.com/Jakub Żulczyk/X/@donaldtusk/@sikorskiradek