The world in 2025 will be very different to the world in 2011, when Poland last held the European Council presidency. Back then, Poland was still widely considered as a junior member of the EU after joining in 2004. It was part of the ‘New Europe’, as ‘Old Europe’ liked to call us.
In 2011, Barack Obama was in the US White House and José Manuel Barroso led the European Commission from the Berlaymont building. That year saw Germany and Russia open the Nord Stream pipeline, Norway experience the tragic Utøya shooting, and Japan endure the Fukushima disaster, whose global repercussions are still with us.
Today, the world has changed, with war in Europe and economic disruption threatening the world order. Poland’s position in the EU has also shifted. No longer a new member state, we have emerged as an important centre of thinking – and of doing. While France and Germany both grapple political crises, Poland has enjoyed a stable governing coalition since late 2023.
That coalition, which includes my Polska 2050 party led by Szymon Hołownia, is busy reintroducing the rule of law in Poland. We are repairing the damage inflicted on democratic standards and institutions during eight years of misrule under the Law and Justice party. The path is bumpy and challenging, but we will not stop.
While we continue this work at home, we must also rise to meet the high expectations set for our European Council presidency in the first half of 2025. Following a brief Belgian presidency curtailed by EU elections and a troubling six months led by Viktor Orbán’s Hungary, Europeans are expecting tangible deliverables from the European Council under Polish leadership.
We will share the stage with Ursula von der Leyen, beginning her second term as European Commission President, and with Donald Trump, who will return to the White House in January. These two leaders will play a decisive role in Europe’s future, but there are other factors, too: Early next year we will see how well Ukraine has weathered the winter after Russian missiles destroyed large parts of the country’s energy infrastructure.
It should come as no surprise that Poland’s Council presidency will primarily focus on security. I believe we should adopt a war-economy way of thinking, averting conflict by being prepared for it. Vladimir Putin’s aggression will not stop in Ukraine if he is not stopped there. Our historical responsibility is to be able to defend the whole of Europe, with EU states and institutions working hand in hand with the US and the NATO.
Insecurity in Europe extends beyond the physical sort. Food supplies, information, energy and the economy are all under threat, leaving Europeans feeling insecure. While we appreciate the achievements made under last mandate’s Green Deal, we must have a reality check. “Competitiveness” is the new buzzword, and we need to ask ourselves some tough questions: What can our societies afford? How can we help European industry thrive again? How can we bring down energy prices?
Six short months of work in the European Council will not provide all the answers. However, these are the fundamental questions that Poland will address during its presidency.