Polish president vetoes student rights, maritime bills in setback for government

Polish President Karol Nawrocki on Thursday vetoed two government-backed bills, rejecting legislation establishing school students' rights ombudsmen as "ideological" and blocking a maritime transport law that he said would implement elements of the European Union's Green Deal.

Announcing the decision, Nawrocki said the bill creating student rights ombudsmen would increase bureaucracy and politicize Poland's education system rather than strengthen protections for pupils.

Instead of safeguarding students' rights, the legislation would create a "school prosecutor's office for pursuing anonymous denunciations," he wrote on the US social media company X, arguing it would lead to the ideological influence of schools.

The vetoes are another blow to Prime Minister Donald Tusk's governing coalition, which lacks the three-fifths parliamentary majority required to override a presidential veto.

Since taking office in 2025, Nawrocki has signaled that he will use his constitutional powers to block legislation that he believes conflicts with his conservative political agenda.

The student rights bill was intended to establish ombudsmen at the regional and national levels to help protect pupils' rights and provide an independent mechanism for handling complaints within the education system.

Supporters argued that it would strengthen legal safeguards for students, while opponents said it would create unnecessary bureaucracy and increase ideological influence in schools.