Przemysław Czarnek named worst education minister in Polish poll

A poll conducted by SW Research for ‘Wprost’ has identified the individuals Poles consider to be the worst ministers of education in the 21st century. Przemysław Czarnek, a former minister, led the ranking with 33 percent of the votes.

Barbara Nowacka, the current Minister of National Education, placed second with 18.3 percent, while Roman Giertych followed in third with 11.1 percent. Other respondents included Anna Zalewska (5.4 percent), Krystyna Szumilas (2.7 percent), and Joanna Kluzik-Rostkowska (2.6 percent).

The survey, conducted between August 18-19, 2026, via online interviews with a representative sample of 809 Polish adults, also noted demographic trends. For instance, Przemysław Czarnek was most frequently cited by women (36.9 percent) and respondents over the age of 50 (38.9 percent). Conversely, Barbara Nowacka faced the most criticism from men (20.7 percent) and respondents under the age of 24 (21.1 percent). Approximately 23.8 percent of those surveyed had no opinion on the matter.