The decision by President Karol Nawrocki to revoke the Order of the White Eagle from Volodymyr Zelenskyy sparked a heated debate on social media. However, an analysis by the Res Futura Data House collective shows that a clear majority of internet users sided with the head of state. As many as 74 percent of the analyzed comments expressed support for this move.
On Friday, the President of the Republic of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, announced his decision regarding the Order of the White Eagle awarded to Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2023.
In a statement published on social media, the Polish head of state said: “In view of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s consent to name one of the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine after the ‘heroes of the UPA’, after consultation with the Chapter, I have decided to revoke the Order of the White Eagle from the President of Ukraine. At this point, I would like to emphasize – this decision is not against the Ukrainian nation. It does not signify a change in the strategic direction of Poland’s security policy”, said the president.
As he stressed: “Today’s decision is not only symbolic in nature. It is also a warning signal. There are boundaries in Polish-Ukrainian relations that must not be crossed. It is also an appeal to our neighbors: return to the path of truth and mutual respect”, he added. The president’s decision did not appeal to politicians from the ruling coalition, who, almost unanimously, have been sharing a post by Vladimir Putin’s associate Dmitry Medvedev and criticizing the decision of the Polish head of state.
The president’s decision through the eyes of internet users
According to an analysis prepared by the European collective Res Futura Data House, reactions from social media users to President Karol Nawrocki’s decision were overwhelmingly positive.
The report’s authors indicate that the message related to the head of state’s decision achieved a very large reach within the Polish online space. In total, statements generating approximately 120 million user interactions were analyzed.
The presented data shows that as many as 74 percent of the analyzed comments had an approving tone toward the president’s decision. Critical views accounted for 26 percent of all assessed posts.
This means that for every negative opinion, there were nearly three comments expressing support for Karol Nawrocki’s actions. According to analysts, this is one of the most unequivocal reactions of online public opinion to a political decision in recent months.
Volhynia remains an important social issue
As the sentiment analysis indicates, a large portion of positive comments referred to historical issues and expectations of a more decisive stance from authorities regarding the commemoration of formations responsible for crimes against Poles during World War II.
Online discourse was dominated by voices emphasizing that Polish-Ukrainian relations should be based not only on strategic cooperation but also on respect for historical memory and social sensitivity related to the Volhynia genocide.
The analysis covered the largest social media platforms
Res Futura Data House reports that the study was conducted using sentiment analysis tools employing both machine learning algorithms and expert assessment. The data came from publicly available comments posted on platforms such as Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
The authors of the report emphasize that the results reflect the emotional tone of comments published online and show the prevailing sentiments of internet users toward the decision made by the President of the Republic of Poland.