As Poland marked the 235th anniversary of the 1791 Constitution of the Polish\u2013Lithuanian Commonwealth\u2014widely regarded as Europe\u2019s first modern democratic constitution\u2014President Karol Nawrocki announced the creation of a council tasked with preparing a potential new national constitution.<\/p>\n
The new body, which includes several figures linked to the Law and Justice (PiS) camp and is formally open to all parliamentary parties, follows a pledge Nawrocki made after his election victory last May. At the time, he argued that \u2018the political class must begin working on solutions for a new constitution, which will be ready for adoption, I hope, in 2030\u2019, coinciding with the end of his presidential term.<\/p>\n
Prezydent RP @NawrockiKn<\/a>: Powo\u0142a\u0142em dzi\u015b korpus \u2014 fundament Rady ds. Nowej Konstytucji. Zaczynamy prac\u0119 nad konstytucj\u0105 nowej generacji roku 2030.<\/p>\n Bardzo dzi\u0119kuj\u0119 profesjonalistom, dzi\u0119kuj\u0119 ludziom odwa\u017cnym, dzi\u0119kuj\u0119 tym, kt\u00f3rzy maj\u0105 r\u00f3\u017cne pogl\u0105dy \u2014 nawet wobec tez, kt\u00f3re\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/pj1SbIPdyN<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Kancelaria Prezydenta RP (@prezydentpl) May 3, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n In his anniversary speech, Nawrocki framed the 1791 constitution as a historical example of Poland\u2019s capacity for renewal. He argued that it demonstrated \u2018Poles\u2019 profound capacity for self-correction\u2019 and was intended to give the state \u2018a chance of survival\u2019. Drawing a parallel to the present, he stated that Poland\u2019s current challenges are \u2018no longer merely political; they are systemic problems<\/a>\u2019.<\/p>\n \u2018It cannot go on like this, with power in Poland split between two centres,\u2019 Nawrocki said, referring to the ongoing institutional conflict between the presidency and the government. \u2018State institutions, which should be enduring and strong, are being drawn into political and partisan battles, and the system of rule of law\u2026is producing further chaos and further social conflicts,\u2019 he added.<\/p>\n Since taking office, Nawrocki has been in persistent conflict<\/a> with Prime Minister Donald Tusk\u2019s government, vetoing an unusually high number of legislative proposals and contributing to gridlock on key issues such as judicial reform, defence policy, and financial regulation. Tusk reacted to the initiative by suggesting that the president should begin by \u2018respecting the current constitution\u2019.<\/p>\n Pan @NawrockiKn<\/a> og\u0142osi\u0142, \u017ce b\u0119dzie pracowa\u0142 nad now\u0105 konstytucj\u0105. Proponuj\u0119 zacz\u0105\u0107 od przestrzegania aktualnej.<\/p>\n \u2014 Donald Tusk (@donaldtusk) May 1, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n Although no detailed draft has been presented, the Polish right\u2014centred around Nawrocki and PiS\u2014has outlined several key directions for constitutional reform. These include strengthening the presidency and moving Poland toward a more semi-presidential system, as well as reasserting national sovereignty by limiting the scope of European Union influence and reinforcing the primacy of the Polish constitution over external legal frameworks.<\/p>\n Another core objective is an institutional reset, particularly in the judiciary, following years of conflict over court reforms and competing claims of legal legitimacy between PiS and Tusk\u2019s Civic Platform (KO).<\/p>\n However, the political reality makes constitutional change highly unlikely in the short term. Amending Poland\u2019s constitution requires a two-thirds majority in the Sejm, which Nawrocki currently lacks, as Tusk\u2019s broad coalition\u2014from the left to the centre right\u2014holds a parliamentary majority.<\/p>\n Looking ahead to the 2027 parliamentary election, the balance of power remains fluid. Civic Platform (KO) is currently polling<\/a> around 30\u201334 per cent, ahead of PiS at 25\u201330 per cent, while the hard right-libertarian Konfederacja stands at approximately 15 per cent. KO coalition partners PSL and Poland 2050 are polling below the parliamentary threshold, while smaller right-wing formations such as the Confederation of the Polish Crown (KKP), at around 7 per cent, could further fragment the conservative vote.<\/p>\n \u2018Konfederacja is widely expected to play a kingmaker role\u2019<\/p>\n Konfederacja is widely expected to play a kingmaker role, as it did in the 2025 presidential race, placing significant influence over any future constitutional reform in its hands. Speaking to Hungarian Conservative in 2025, party leader Krzysztof Bosak<\/a> stated that Konfederacja would not \u2018destroy its political project\u2019 merely to join a government, adding that if coalition negotiations take place, the party would act \u2018assertively and independently\u2019.<\/p>\n Earlier, Konfederacja responded to Nawrocki\u2019s constitutional push by supporting the broader idea of systemic reform, while arguing that the initiative itself is politically premature and lacks real legislative feasibility under current parliamentary conditions.<\/p>\n Related articles:<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t