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By Giulia Carbonaro
Senior Reporter
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Poland’s new president Karol Nawrocki, who came into office in August, has signed off a zero income tax law for families with two or more children, following through on one of his campaign promises.
Why It Matters
The conservative, Catholic politician narrowly defeated Warsaw’s liberal mayor, Rafal Trzaskowski, in this summer’s presidential election to become the eastern European country’s head of state—inaugurating a new political era for Poland.
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Working with the country’s pro-EU, centrist Prime Minister Donald Tusk is likely going to be complicated in the coming months and years for Nawrocki, who was supported by the conservative Law and Justice Party (PiS) during his campaign.
But the signing of the bill presented by the president in August, removing the income tax obligation on families raising at least two children, represents a victory for Nawrocki, who has promised the measure during his campaign.
What To Know
The law signed by Nawrocki introduced zero personal income tax (PIT) for families raising two or more children and earning up to 140,000 zloty (roughly up to $38,395) a year.
Both biological parents and those with parental responsibility over children, including legal guardians and foster parents, would be eligible for the exemption. Poland does not recognize same-sex couples—through either marriages or civil union—or their families, banning them from adopting children.
The number of children for eligible families include minors, adult children receiving care allowance or social pension, and students under 25.
According to estimates by the presidency, the new law would allow the average family to save about 1,000 zloty ($274) every month.
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In a campaign speech made in Chełmo back in March, Nawrocki had argued that exempting big families from paying income taxes was “necessary—for you in Chełmno and for all of Poland.”
The president signed the bill on August 8, a symbolic move before it passed it to Poland’s parliament, where the more liberal ruling coalition has a majority. In Poland, the president has the right to initiate legislation, but this then needs to be approved by parliament. However, the bill returned to the president’s desk last month.
Poland’s fertility is one of the lowest in the world. Last year, the country’s number of new births plunged to a new postwar low of 252,000, down from 272,000 in 2023. In the same year, its overall population shrank by approximately 147,000 from 2023, dropping to 37.49 million by the end of the year.
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The issue of boosting birth rates has been pitted by the conservative president against immigration. In March, he talked about trying to bring back the roughly 20 million Poles living abroad—including by offering those of them with at least two children tax exemptions.
“We need to create a concrete offer for them and speed up the process of granting Polish citizenship. The president of Poland must take care of Poles both within and beyond our borders. We want Poles here, not illegal migrants,” he said.
What People Are Saying
Nawrocki said during a campaign speech in March: “Taxes must be low, simple, and family-friendly.”
In August, he said: “The personal income tax exemption for parents of two or more children is not only my promise, but also my obligation to the continued existence of Poland and the independence of the Polish state.”
What Happens Next
The tax exemption is not official yet, as the legislative process, which requires the approval from both Parliament and Senate, must still be completed. If approved, eligible families are expected to feel the impact of the new tax break in 2027, after they file their 2026 tax return.
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