Polish President Nawrocki Surpasses Holownia in Polls: Inside the Controversy Over Stripping Zelensky of an Order.

Mateusz Nawrocki's Rising Popularity

According to Espreso.tv: Polish President Mateusz Nawrocki has seen a notable surge in public approval, overtaking former Prime Minister Szymon Holownia in the latest ratings. In January 2024, Nawrocki garnered 54.4% trust among respondents—an increase of 8.4 percentage points from the previous month. However, 39.3% of those surveyed expressed distrust toward the president, indicating a degree of public criticism persists.

Ratings of Other Politicians

Radosław Sikorski holds second place in the trust ranking with 42.6%, while Donald Tusk comes in third at 38.1%. Notably, Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski saw a drop of 5.6 points, falling to 32.5%. Confederation leader Krzysztof Bosak also experienced a decline, losing 5.1 points to reach 29.9%.

The survey, which reflects these figures, was conducted from June 19 to 21 among a sample of 1,100 adult Poles. The results point to Nawrocki's growing popularity amid political developments in Ukraine. On May 27, 2023, he announced his intention to strip Volodymyr Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle—a significant event in Polish-Ukrainian relations.

On June 19, 2023, Nawrocki formally revoked Zelensky's order, and the following day, the Ukrainian president returned the award. On June 22, Nawrocki's office confirmed receipt of the order.

These events highlight the Polish president's assertive stance in international politics, which may have contributed to his rising popularity among the public. Data analysis suggests that in a shifting political landscape, trust in leaders can change rapidly; in this case, Nawrocki shows a positive trend in citizen evaluations.

The increase in trust toward Mateusz Nawrocki reflects important shifts in Poland's political scene, as well as his ability to address pressing international challenges. His actions regarding Ukraine, in particular, may signal Poland's ambition to maintain an active role in regional affairs. This could, in turn, influence the future trajectory of Polish-Ukrainian relations and the domestic political situation in Poland.