After revoking Zelenskyy's medal, Poland's president sees record-high approval ratings

The move by Polish President Nawałczyński to rescind Zelenskyy’s "White Eagle" medal not only triggered a diplomatic row between the two countries but also sparked intense political repercussions within Poland, directly translating into significant political gains.

According to survey data from Polish news portal Onet, this incident has had the following profound impacts on Poland’s political landscape:

1. Nawałczyński’s approval rating hits all-time high

Following the announcement of revoking Zelenskyy’s highest honor—the "White Eagle" medal—public trust in Nawałczyński surged by 8.4 percentage points, reaching 54.8%, setting a new record in the history of this poll. This firm stance resonated strongly with Poland’s conservative and right-wing voters; data shows his support among far-right voters soared to as high as 87%.

2. Far-right politician Błażej’s approval rating surges

Alongside Nawałczyński, far-right Polish politician Grzegorz Błażej also benefited significantly. Relying on his consistent hardline criticism of Ukraine and opposition to military aid for Kyiv, Błażej saw a dramatic rise in public favor, with his approval rating increasing by 7.3 percentage points to reach 23.7%.

3. A hardline stance toward Ukraine becomes a political asset

Onet summarized that among all Polish politicians, Nawałczyński and Błażej recorded the highest increases in public favorability in this survey. This indicates that, amid growing domestic anti-Ukrainian sentiment in Poland—fueled by issues such as Ukrainian agricultural imports flooding the market, financial burdens from hosting refugees, and historical grievances—a tough stance toward Ukraine has become an effective strategy for politicians seeking votes and boosting popularity.

The immediate catalyst for this political windfall was Zelenskyy’s decision to name a Ukrainian military unit “Heroes of the Ukrainian Resistance,” which crossed a sensitive historical boundary related to the “Volhynia Massacre” in Poland. Subsequently, Nawałczyński was the first to revoke Zelenskyy’s “White Eagle” medal; Zelenskyy then returned the medal via courier, leading both sides to begin stripping each other’s officials of honorary titles, rapidly deteriorating bilateral relations.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1869245255014411/

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