In this Christmas special podcast, we travel to Warsaw to unpack a power struggle that goes far beyond personal rivalry.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk, the veteran pro-EU liberal, now finds himself locked in open conflict with Poland’s new nationalist president, Karol Nawrocki. Both are powerful political “alpha males,” unwilling to compromise, and both claim a democratic mandate. The result? Legislative vetoes, blocked appointments and a country split almost perfectly down the middle.
Joined by Brussels Signal’s Poland correspondent Krysztof Mularczyk we explore why this clash matters far beyond Poland’s borders. I s this simply a domestic constitutional struggle, or is Brussels shaping the outcome? Why did EU funds suddenly flow back into Poland once Tusk returned to power — despite no major legal changes? And are European institutions fuelling, rather than calming, Poland’s internal divisions?
The conversation digs into the deeper fault lines: national sovereignty versus EU integration, cultural identity versus liberal social reform. We examine why Nawrocki is uniquely positioned to unite conservative forces, how public support for EU membership has dropped sharply, and why issues like migration, the Green Deal, abortion, and LGBT policies are now political flashpoints. We also tackle Poland’s role in the Ukraine war, rising tensions with Kyiv, border security with Belarus, and why Poland seen as the EU’s success story is now questioning the cost of European “solidarity.”
Poland’s geopolitical position is becoming increasingly complicated. Finally, we look at Poland’s enduring traditional character: a still-strong Catholic culture, resistance to rapid social change, and a public deeply wary of outside interference in family law and national identity. Is Poland becoming the next major battleground in Europe’s culture and sovereignty wars? And who really controls the country — Warsaw, Brussels, or forces beyond both?
