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On May 20, 2025, the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) held a City Breakfast at the Fyodor Dostoevsky Library – “Based on the Presidential Election in Poland”.

The experts discussed the first round of the presidential election, which took place on May 18, 2025, the election campaigns of the race favorites, as well as the differences between the current political processes in Poland and other countries of the European Union. During the event, the panelists also touched upon the issue of changing migration and diaspora policy directions.

Igor Zhukovsky, Senior Researcher of the Baltic Sea Region Integrated Research Group of the Center for Strategic Planning Studies of IMEMO, Cand. of Science (Politics), presented an assessment of the candidates' potential before the second round, gave explanations on the specifics of the electoral process and the president's possibilities in forming and implementing the foreign policy line, including the Russian direction.

Tatiana Popadeva, Research Fellow of the Center for Comparative Socio-Economic and Political Studies of IMEMO, Cand. of Science (Politics), presented the context of Poland's diaspora and migration policy in relation to the positions of right-wing forces: the use of migration issues to gain broader support is typical for the entire European right-wing spectrum of the political scene, and Poland is no exception. Particular attention waspaid to the new mechanisms through which Poland plans to include the diaspora in the processes of promoting its national interests, expanding the symbolic boundaries of its political influence.