Polish President Karol Nawrocki removed the European Union flag from his office shortly after taking office, emphasising distance from Brussels, reports La Gaceta. The gesture, noticeable during the Council of Ministers’ meeting on August 27, 2025, reflects his sovereigntist views and opposition to EU policies on migration, the Green Deal, and further integration.
Karol Nawrocki, elected President of Poland in 2025, decided to remove the European Union flag from his office in the presidential palace. The gesture did not go unnoticed by the European press. As the Spanish outlet La Gaceta comments:
“The decision was made shortly after he assumed office and is one of the first actions of the new president. Following Nawrocki’s lead, Paweł Szefernaker, the head of the presidential chancellery, also removed the EU flag. The absence of the EU emblem with twelve stars was particularly visible during the Council of Ministers’ meeting on August 27, where only the Polish flag was present. Unlike during Andrzej Duda’s presidency, when the EU flag was regularly displayed, official photos published by the presidential office now show a significant reduction in the presence of EU symbols.”
Presidential spokesperson Rafał Leśkiewicz assured that the EU flag “is present” within the chancellery but did not confirm whether it remains in the president’s office. In his recent appearances, Nawrocki stood against the backdrop of three flags: Poland, NATO, and the EU. Nawrocki, known for his sovereigntist and conservative views, has repeatedly criticised Brussels’ policies, including EU regulations on migration, the Green Deal, and the further transfer of national competences to the EU.
He declared that he would block EU treaty changes limiting Poland’s sovereignty, opposed the admission of illegal migrants, and rejected the possibility of introducing the euro.
Although the removal of the EU flag may seem like a symbolic gesture, in politics it is perceived as a clear signal of Nawrocki’s priorities, emphasising the importance of the Polish national flag over the EU one, stresses La Gaceta.
Outside the presidential palace, however, the EU flag continues to be displayed alongside other international symbols in accordance with diplomatic protocol.