Poland appoints youth plenipotentiary to bypass presidential veto on student ombudsman

Ministerial appointment and mandate

On Thursday, 1 October 2026, Polish Minister of National Education Barbara Nowacka appointed 22-year-old legal scholar Mikołaj Wolanin as the Plenipotentiary of the Minister of Education for Students and Youth Policy. The post gives the ministry an executive mechanism to advance student affairs without requiring new statutory legislation. Under the terms of his appointment, Wolanin will analyze existing legal regulations, examine issues affecting pupils, and present policy solutions directly to the education minister. His responsibilities also encompass monitoring adherence to student rights and duties, formulating best practices for educational institutions, assisting schools with legal compliance, and reviewing school statutes.

“This will in no way be a political function.”

Presidential veto and political background

The appointment serves as a direct administrative alternative to legislation blocked by President Karol Nawrocki in July 2026. The vetoed bill on student rights and obligations would have created an institutional framework of advocates across Poland, anchored by a statutory National Student Rights Ombudsman. Nawrocki justified his veto by expressing concern that the proposed office would function as a school prosecutor's office tasked with pursuing anonymous reports, which he argued would foster antagonism rather than cooperation among school staff and pupils. Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, Nowacka maintained that presidential opposition would not deter the ministry from fulfilling its policy pledges.

“A bill was prepared and, for completely incomprehensible reasons, vetoed by the president. That, however, does not relieve us of the responsibility to keep our commitments to students and to the entire educational community.”

Background and qualifications of the new envoy

Wolanin brings an extensive academic and institutional background to the newly established advisory role. A doctoral student in legal sciences holding master's degrees in both civil law and canon law, he has authored 17 academic publications, including two specialized monographs on student rights and duties alongside a commentary chapter on Poland's Education Law Act. From 2019 to 2026, Wolanin served as president of the Foundation for Student Rights, an organization he established while still a minor with formal authorization from a family court. His legal and civic work previously earned him recognition in 2024 as one of ten global finalists for the Global Student Prize.

Local network and strategy through 2035

Addressing his immediate priorities, Wolanin stated that his first steps will involve organizing direct consultation sessions with youth groups across the country. He also pointed to his ongoing work on the National Youth Strategy, a government planning framework designed to direct state policy concerning young people through 2035. While the presidential veto eliminated the statutory obligation for regional posts, the ministry intends to urge municipalities and individual school administrators to voluntarily establish local student ombudsmen to handle grievances and counter peer violence.

“We will also encourage, without any obligation of course, the appointment of both school and local government ombudsmen. The point is for students to have someone close to them whom they know and trust, to whom they can turn for help.”