Polish Elections: Conservative Momentum And The Fight For Economic Freedom
Few days before winning the election Poland's conservative presidential candidate Karol Nawrocki ... More spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC, Tuesday, May 27, 2025, in Jasionka, Poland. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool)
I have been working with think tanks in Poland since the 1990s, and the progress I have witnessed over the years is truly remarkable. Many challenges remain, but after last week's victory for conservative presidential candidate Karol Nawrocki, coupled with good first-round results for Slawomir Mentzen of the Konfederacja (Confederation for Liberty and Independence) alliance, Poland has a chance to continue building support for economic and social policies that lead to prosperity.
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, with your property, are the foundation of prosperity. They also explain why Poland's economy has outperformed that of most of its neighbors. Polish society, long resilient in the face of adversity, has endured centuries of invasions and oppression from powerful countries. In 1655, for instance, the Swedish army invaded what was then the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, setting off a devastating five-year conflict. The following century, in what some have called the most egregious land grab in history, Russia, Prussia, and Austria took over and partitioned Polish territory. Thus, from the late 1790s until the end of World War I, Poland existed only in the soul of its people. Then in the 20th century, of course, the country suffered years of Nazi and Soviet rule.
Since gaining independence from the Soviet Union, Poland has embraced market-oriented reforms, drawing strength from its Catholic heritage and valuing life, community, and solidarity. As a result, the country has experienced rapid growth and is steadily closing the income gap with the leading nations of the Western world.
Economic freedom in Poland, of course, grew following the fall of communism and jumped again in the 2010s before being negatively impacted by COVID policies. Since then, the Polish economy has continued to grow despite political differences; however, the country has yet to regain the high economic freedom scores it achieved a decade ago. Nevertheless, as the Heritage Foundation's Index of Economic Freedom shows, Poland has maintained high scores in most economic areas.
Economic Freedom scores of Poland show a good position on freedom to trade but low scores in ... More government spending
In the country's current context, the war in Ukraine, of course, looms large. When Russia invaded Crimea in 2014, I wrote a piece arguing that Poland was back at the forefront of Western civilization; now it is more strategic than ever for the free world. Proving that in their culture, solidarity is much more than a political slogan (or the name of its famous labor movement), generous Poles have since the beginning of the conflict opened their houses to Ukrainians. Initial estimates indicated that over 3 million refugees crossed the border to Poland. Although the war continues, many Ukrainians have returned to their land, yet still close to one million have been granted temporary protected status in Poland, which is currently home to about 2 million Ukrainian citizens.
In Poland, any sign of compromise or weakness in supporting Ukraine is enough for someone to be labelled pro-Putin. Most Poles see the current effort to support Ukraine as an opportunity to weaken Russia, its most dangerous geopolitical and strategic enemy. However, President-elect Nawrocki (who takes office on August 6) has had no qualms about seeking and accepting support from President Trump, often accused of being soft on Putin and weak in his support for Ukraine.
Regarding the Trump administration, Poland's continuing balance of power and the growth of Konfederacja should allow for continued constructive engagement and the hope to open a new path for Europe. Current President Andrzej Duda was elected by the same coalition forces, with PiS (Law and Justice) as the major party, that gave the narrow win to Nawrocki. A victory by Rafal Trzaskowski, aligned with the policies of Donald Tusk, the current prime minister, would have moved Poland closer to the political forces still dominant in Brussels and farther from today's Washington.
As China is a major ally of Russia and is helping with its war of aggression on Ukraine, during my recent visit to Poland, I repeatedly sought opinions on China. In Poland, though, there is almost no talk or awareness of the threat of communist China. The answers I received ranged from 'China is far from us' to 'China's diplomats are not pushy or arrogant, compared to those in the West.'
On internal matters, policy players who focus primarily on economic policy have complained that Poland's leading parties, Civic Coalition and Law and Justice, seem satisfied with the economic status quo. The good election results from Konfederacja, a party which, in addition to promoting institutions and laws that protect life, faith, and family, also advocates for increased economic freedom, may in time lead to a more market-friendly center-right government.
I have followed Konfederacja since its early days, when it was the creation of one of the most colorful political and intellectual troublemakers I have ever met: Janusz Korwin-Mikke. The party is now divorced from his eccentricities, which, though appealing to some of the most radical voters, alienate the rest. Much like the Libertarian Party in the United States, Korwin-Mikke's party, despite some success, was not taken seriously and struggled to achieve the 5% threshold needed to win seats in Parliament. Things have changed. In the 2020 presidential election, the party's young presidential candidate, Krzysztof Bosak, then in his late thirties, attracted 6.78% of the vote. In the first round of the 2025 election, Slawomir Mentzen, the candidate backed by Konfederacja, attracted 15% of the vote. I had been following Mentzen, also not yet 40 years old, because his allies admired the bold moves of President Javier Milei in Argentina and asked me if I had any way to attract President Milei to Poland or get him to endorse Mentzen.
Leaders of think tanks and political parties working to improve rule of law and economic freedom in ... More Poland. Clockwise, from upper left, Jerzy Kwaśniewski (Ordo Iuris), Tomasz Wróblewski (Warsaw Enterprise Institute), Krzysztof Bosak MP (Deputy Marshal of the Sejm), Grzegorz Placzek, MP (Chairman of Konfederacja Parliamentary block). Right: over of the Great Reset document produced by Ordo Iuris, and Mathias Corvinus College (Budapest)
The day after Nawrocki's victory, I met with Grzegorz Placzek, the leader of Konfederacja in the Sejm, or lower house. Placzek described to me some of his party's plans. In addition to consolidating the party's vote to remain in third place and become a key partner in future center-right governments, Placzek would like to push for bolder efforts. One possibility is closer collaboration with the Trump administration to form a common front against international agencies that have proven ineffective or are seen as working too closely with the Chinese government or push a leftist or 'woke' cultural agenda. Konfederacja has proposed forming a common cause with the United States and Argentina, leaving the World Health Organization, and establishing an alternative group. Placzek is well-positioned to strengthen ties with Argentina, serving as chairman of the Polish-Argentine Parliamentary Group, which aims to foster collaboration with Argentina's libertarian lawmakers.
On the think-tank side, I spent time with leaders of two groups that have consistently produced quality programs and attracted support from a broad donor base. The first of these is Ordo Iuris, founded in 2013, which focuses on the rule of law and the culture and institutions of justice. The other is the Warsaw Enterprise Institute (WEI), a multifaceted pro-free-market think tank founded also in 2013.
Last September, in collaboration with the Heritage Foundation, Ordo Iuris convened think tanks from across Europe to discuss the potential impact of current EU policies on transatlantic relations. The effort encouraged Ordo Iuris to collaborate with Hungary's Mathias Corvinus Collegium to produce a document serving as a guide for European reforms. This alternative 'Great Reset' [I will put a link] document is available online in several languages and calls for reestablishing a union based on six founding principles: national sovereignty over EU primacy; national constitutions over judicial activism; representative democracy over technocratic government; subsidiarity and respect for national competencies over centralization; national interests over self-proclaimed EU values; and free speech over ideological control.
WEI's work encompasses research, events, and publications. One product that caught my attention is the Institute's Black Book of Government Spending. The book aims to raise awareness of waste and inefficiencies in government. The effort promotes transparency among authorities and fosters incentives for good practices. As it seeks input from all over Poland, it also raises WEI and its market-oriented solutions across the nation.
Most other market-oriented think tanks in Poland are fragile, relying on a few donors, well-known figures, or a single main product. The oldest of these is the Adam Smith Centre, founded in 1989, which continues to celebrate 'Tax Freedom Day.' The Civil Development Forum Foundation (FOR) was established in March 2007 by Professor Leszek Balcerowicz and serves as a primary advocate for sound economic policies. The Polish American Foundation for Education and Economic Research, founded in 2000, has helped publish multiple books promoting free markets, organized important programs, and provided numerous scholarships. It is currently in standby mode with minimal programming due to the death of its founder and principal funder, Jan Malek, but there is hope that its programs will soon be reactivated.
Am I hopeful for Poland's future? Yes. A few days before the Presidential election, CPAC held its first-ever event in Poland. It was very well attended, with most Polish participants aligned with the opposition to the current government led by Donald Tusk. U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, the highest-level Trump administration official at the event, was extremely well-received. She did not keep quiet about the June 1 presidential election and endorsed Nawrocki. However, neither did The Economist and multiple publications and writers aligned with Brussels, who employed various scare tactics to encourage Poles to vote for Rafal Trzaskowski. The divisions between libertarians and conservatives in many countries have led to left-wing victories. Given the common ground on cultural topics in Poland and the results of this past election, I am confident that political and intellectual differences will not hinder their path to prosperity.
Wojciech Popiela, wpopiela@wp.pl collaborated with this piece
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bloomberg
20 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Russia's Top Oil Executive Says OPEC+ Was Astute to Boost Output
Steps taken by the OPEC+ group to boost oil supplies have proved astute, given developments in the Middle East conflict, according to Rosneft PJSC Chief Executive Officer Igor Sechin. 'The decision by OPEC+ leaders to raise production at accelerated rates appears highly far-sighted today, and from a market perspective, justified, considering consumer interests amid uncertainty about the scale of the conflict between Iran and Israel,' Sechin said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Saturday.
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
2 very different stocks that pay above-average levels of passive income!
UK stocks offer plenty of opportunities to generate healthy levels of passive income. Here are two examples. The Harbour Energy (LSE:HBR) share price has come under pressure since the middle of 2022, when the previous government announced plans to introduce an energy profits levy (or windfall tax) on profit made from the North Sea. To help mitigate the impact, the oil and gas producer bought the upstream assets of Wintershall Dea. The group now has operations in nine countries and faces a lower average tax rate than before. Harbour's current policy is to return $455m to shareholders each year. Its 2024 dividend of 26.19 cents (19.47p at current exchange rates) was 13.8% higher than in 2022. It's forecasting free cash flow (FCF) of $900m in 2025, so there's plenty of headroom. However, like all energy producers, the group's earnings are sensitive to oil and gas prices. The FCF estimate assumes a Brent crude price of $65 a barrel and a European gas price of $12/mscf (thousand standard cubic feet). A fall could lead to a cut in the dividend. During the first quarter of 2025, the group's production was split 40% liquids (oil) and 60% gas. Current prices are around $72 and $12 respectively. Therefore, at the moment, the payout appears secure. Of course, this could quickly change. Other factors that should help earnings include a post-acquisition $5/boe (barrel of oil equivalent) fall in the cost of production and lower interest costs due to a reduction in debt. Based on a current (20 June) share price of 210p, the stock's yielding an impressive 9.27%. The average for the FTSE 250 is 3.46%. Although the five-year share price performance of Legal & General (LSE:LGEN) has probably disappointed shareholders – it's increased 15% compared to a 40% rise in the FTSE 100 – I'm sure its dividend hasn't. Impressively, the pension and savings group's payout in 2024 of 21.36p was 21.6% higher than in 2020. And if it wasn't for the pandemic – when the group maintained its dividend for one year – it would be able to claim a 15-year unbroken run of increases. Looking ahead, the directors hope to grow it by 2% a year from 2025-2027. I think this is achievable if it's able to win new pension business – it has a pipeline of £44bn of schemes that it's looking to acquire – and a trend of customers moving into higher margin products continues. But the group has huge investments (£505bn at 31 December 2024) in global equites, bonds and commercial property on its balance sheet. To meet its obligations to pensioners, these need to perform in line with expectations. This makes its earnings (and dividend) vulnerable to the same global uncertainty that affects most investors. Also, it operates in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Based on amounts paid over the past 12 months and a current share price of 254p, the stock's yielding 8.41%. The average for the FTSE 100 is 3.49%. Although dividends cannot be guaranteed, I think both of these stocks are well placed to – as a bare minimum – maintain their generous payouts. That's why I have them in my Stocks and Shares ISA. And for the same reason, income investors could consider including them in their own portfolios. The post 2 very different stocks that pay above-average levels of passive income! appeared first on The Motley Fool UK. More reading 5 Stocks For Trying To Build Wealth After 50 One Top Growth Stock from the Motley Fool James Beard has positions in Harbour Energy Plc and Legal & General Group Plc. The Motley Fool UK has no position in any of the shares mentioned. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. Motley Fool UK 2025 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Europeans seek 'digital sovereignty' as US tech firms embrace Trump
By Thomas Escritt BERLIN (Reuters) -At a market stall in Berlin run by charity Topio, volunteers help people who want to purge their phones of the influence of U.S. tech firms. Since Donald Trump's inauguration, the queue for their services has grown. Interest in European-based digital services has jumped in recent months, data from digital market intelligence company Similarweb shows. More people are looking for e-mail, messaging and even search providers outside the United States. The first months of Trump's second presidency have shaken some Europeans' confidence in their long-time ally, after he signalled his country would step back from its role in Europe's security and then launched a trade war. "It's about the concentration of power in U.S. firms," said Topio's founder Michael Wirths, as his colleague installed on a customer's phone a version of the Android operating system without hooks into the Google ecosystem. Wirths said the type of people coming to the stall had changed: "Before, it was people who knew a lot about data privacy. Now it's people who are politically aware and feel exposed." Tesla chief Elon Musk, who also owns social media company X, was a leading adviser to the U.S. president before the two fell out, while the bosses of Amazon, Meta and Google-owner Alphabet took prominent spots at Trump's inauguration in January. Days before Trump took office, outgoing president Joe Biden had warned of an oligarchic "tech industrial complex" threatening democracy. Berlin-based search engine Ecosia says it has benefited from some customers' desire to avoid U.S. counterparts like Microsoft's Bing or Google, which dominates web searches and is also the world's biggest email provider. "The worse it gets, the better it is for us," founder Christian Kroll said of Ecosia, whose sales pitch is that it spends its profits on environmental projects. Similarweb data shows the number of queries directed to Ecosia from the European Union has risen 27% year-on-year and the company says it has 1% of the German search engine market. But its 122 million visits from the 27 EU countries in February were dwarfed by 10.3 billion visits to Google, whose parent Alphabet made revenues of about $100 billion from Europe, the Middle East and Africa in 2024 - nearly a third of its $350 billion global turnover. Non-profit Ecosia earned 3.2 million euros ($3.65 million) in April, of which 770,000 euros was spent on planting 1.1 million trees. Google declined to comment for this story. Reuters could not determine whether major U.S. tech companies have lost any market share to local rivals in Europe. DIGITAL SOVEREIGNTY The search for alternative providers accompanies a debate in Europe about "digital sovereignty" - the idea that reliance on companies from an increasingly isolationist United States is a threat to Europe's economy and security. "Ordinary people, the kind of people who would never have thought it was important they were using an American service are saying, 'hang on!'," said UK-based internet regulation expert Maria Farrell. "My hairdresser was asking me what she should switch to." Use in Europe of Swiss-based ProtonMail rose 11.7% year-on-year to March compared to a year ago, according to Similarweb, while use of Alphabet's Gmail, which has some 70% of the global email market, slipped 1.9%. ProtonMail, which offers both free and paid-for services, said it had seen an increase in users from Europe since Trump's re-election, though it declined to give a number. "My household is definitely disengaging," said British software engineer Ken Tindell, citing weak U.S. data privacy protections as one factor. Trump's vice president JD Vance shocked European leaders in February by accusing them - at a conference usually known for displays of transatlantic unity - of censoring free speech and failing to control immigration. In May, Secretary of State Marco Rubio threatened visa bans for people who "censor" speech by Americans, including on social media, and suggested the policy could target foreign officials regulating U.S. tech companies. U.S. social media companies like Facebook and Instagram parent Meta have said the European Union's Digital Services Act amounts to censorship of their platforms. EU officials say the Act will make the online environment safer by compelling tech giants to tackle illegal content, including hate speech and child sexual abuse material. Greg Nojeim, director of the Security and Surveillance Project at the Center for Democracy & Technology, said Europeans' concerns about the U.S. government accessing their data, whether stored on devices or in the cloud, were justified. Not only does U.S. law permit the government to search devices of anyone entering the country, it can compel disclosure of data that Europeans outside the U.S. store or transmit through U.S. communications service providers, Nojeim said. MISSION IMPOSSIBLE? Germany's new government is itself making efforts to reduce exposure to U.S. tech, committing in its coalition agreement to make more use of open-source data formats and locally-based cloud infrastructure. Regional governments have gone further - in conservative-run Schleswig-Holstein, on the Danish border, all IT used by the public administration must run on open-source software. Berlin has also paid for Ukraine to access a satellite-internet network operated by France's Eutelsat instead of Musk's Starlink. But with modern life driven by technology, "completely divorcing U.S. tech in a very fundamental way is, I would say, possibly not possible," said Bill Budington of U.S. digital rights nonprofit the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Everything from push notifications to the content delivery networks powering many websites and how internet traffic is routed relies largely on U.S. companies and infrastructure, Budington noted. Both Ecosia and French-based search engine Qwant depend in part on search results provided by Google and Microsoft's Bing, while Ecosia runs on cloud platforms, some hosted by the very same tech giants it promises an escape from. Nevertheless, a group on messaging board Reddit called BuyFromEU has 211,000 members. "Just cancelled my Dropbox and will switch to Proton Drive," read one post. Mastodon, a decentralised social media service developed by German programmer Eugen Rochko, enjoyed a rush of new users two years ago when Musk bought Twitter, later renamed X. But it remains a niche service. Signal, a messaging app run by a U.S. nonprofit foundation, has also seen a surge in installations from Europe. Similarweb's data showed a 7% month-on-month increase in Signal usage in March, while use of Meta's WhatsApp was static. Meta declined to comment for this story. Signal did not respond to an e-mailed request for comment. But this kind of conscious self-organising is unlikely on its own to make a dent in Silicon Valley's European dominance, digital rights activist Robin Berjon told Reuters. "The market is too captured," he said. "Regulation is needed as well." (Additional reporting by Riham Alkousaa in Berlin, Charlie Devereux in Madrid, Toby Sterling in Amsterdam and AJ Vicens in Detroit; Editing by Catherine Evans)
