3 Questions on Polish politics after the presidential election to Green Vice-Minister Urszula Zielińska 3 Questions After PiS' victory at the presidential election run-off in Poland, Prime Minister Donald Tusk called for and survived a confidence vote on 11 June 2025. What’s next for the country’s governing coalition, at a critical moment for Europe’s climate, democracy, and security agenda? Roderick Kefferpütz asked Urszula Zielińska, Green Vice-Minister for Climate and Environment, what the result means for the future of the ruling coalition, the Greens’ priorities in the months ahead and Poland’s role in the EU. By Roderick Kefferpütz and Urszula Zielińska
Böll·Europe Podcast | 2025 presidential election in Poland 🇵🇱 Podcast episode Karol Nawrocki of the Law and Justice party (PiS) narrowly won Poland’s presidential run-off—dealing a serious blow to Donald Tusk’s pro-European coalition government. What does this mean for Polish politics, the EU, and the balance of power in Warsaw? In this Böll·Europe Podcast episode we focus on the run-off of the presidential election in Poland, which took place on Sunday 1 June 2025. Our guest is Maciej Makulski, Head of Europe and International Politics at the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung's Warsaw office. By Joan Lanfranco
Böll EU Newsletter 5/2025 - A light for democratic resilience? Newsletter It’s never all doom and gloom. Even when political developments feel heavy and the broader context darkens, light still finds a way through. Over the past weeks, we’ve seen some encouraging signs. By Roderick Kefferpütz
Power struggle in Warsaw – Poland faces second decisive election Analysis Following the change of government in 2023, Poland once again faces a historic crossroads. An emotionally charged election campaign reflects deep social divisions – and the struggle for the country's future. By Joanna Maria Stolarek
Europe at a crossroads: security, defence, and the Polish EU Council Presidency Event recording Security is right at the heart of the Polish EU Council Presidency’s programme. In light of the geopolitical context, the challenges are tremendous. The EU’s defence industrial base needs to be strengthened, and a joint approach on military procurement as well as a sustainable financing solution must be developed. This online discussion analysed the current state of play, explore key areas of contention and discuss potential paths forward, as well as take stock of the Polish EU Council Presidency’s efforts. With: Sophia Besch, Łukasz Maślanka, Nicole Koenig and Roderick Kefferpütz. By Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung
2025: another tough year ahead for the Greens? Analysis After a rocky 2024, electoral prospects look bleak for members of the European Green Party. However, with at least seven national parliamentary and 10 head-of-state elections, as well as dozens of local and regional elections in 16 countries, there is plenty of opportunity for a Green surprise. This article reviews the 2025 electoral prospects for European Green Party members in Europe. By Eric Balonwu
Poland’s EU Council Presidency - What to expect? Analysis Poland takes on the EU Council Presidency in January 2025. What does this role mean, and what challenges lie ahead? Our latest article explores the key context and what to expect during this pivotal six-month period. By Beata Cymerman, Agata Gontarczyk, Anna Jakubowska, Maciej Makulski , Paul Naumann and Julia Borówko
Poland's political marathon: navigating the road to the 2024 EU elections Analysis Poland is in the midst of a political marathon, having already experienced groundbreaking parliamentary and local elections. Former Prime Minister Donald Tusk's coalition has returned to power, but the nation remains politically divided. The upcoming EU elections, featuring high-ranking ministers, set the stage to the presidential elections in 2025. By Joanna Maria Stolarek and Agata Gontarczyk
A tale of two Polands Analysis In the upcoming European Parliament elections, Poland is torn between two diverging views of its current trajectory. These understandings depend on its citizens' sense of identity, their visions of the future and the role the country should play on the continent. The key choice may be the place of the far right in Polish society. By Olga Byrska
European Greens: between electoral defence and presidential power Analysis With right-authoritarian forces on the one hand and liberal-progressive ones on the other, elections in 2024 will be fought in several major democracies, including in the European Union. Focussing on the latter, this article explores the electoral chances of the European Green Party (EGP) members, an umbrella organization for environmentalist-progressive forces. By Tobias Gerhard Schminke