Andrzej Duda

President

Andrzej Duda was born in Krakow in 1972. Lawyer with a PhD from 2005. Former lecturer at Krakow University. Previously worked in the Ministry of Justice and in the chancellery of President Lech Kaczyński. Tried to become a lawyer in 2003, but failed the exam required to begin the process as a trainee lawyer. 2007-2011 member of the Polish State Tribunal. 2011-2014 member of Sejm. 2014-2015 a Member of the European Parliament.

Previously close to former Justice Minister Ziobro, who has apparently distanced himself from the president.

From EU Parliament to presidential candidate

After a successful campaign for the European Parliament, in 2014 Duda was handpicked by Jarosław Kaczyński as a presidential candidate for the 2015 elections. At the time, former President Komorowski was solidly ahead in the polls, and no one in the world imagined that he would not regain office. However, a combination of an arrogant and boring campaign from Komorowski and an active campaign from Duda as a young face changed the situation, and in 2015 Duda won the presidential election.

Close to PiS, but wants to be a national leader

Over the years, Duda has been closely associated with the ruling party PiS (2015-2023) and has accepted numerous violations of the Polish Constitution. However, a case in the State Tribunal requires a 2/3 majority in the National Assembly (Sejm and Senate combined), and it is unlikely that a majority can be gathered in favour of a case against the president.

Duda has successfully tried to play the role of statesman and has had a much more subdued rhetoric than the previously governing party. He has vetoed a few government laws, but they have been fixed by minor changes to new projects.

After the opposition’s election victory in 2023, Duda has started talking about “the constitutional order” and is fighting to maintain the systemic changes made by the PiS government. Duda’s term of office expires in mid-2025.

Andrzej Duda on the military and the situation in Ukraine:

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