Beata Szydło is a Polish politician who served as the Prime Minister of Poland from 2015 to 2017. A member of the Law and Justice party, she rose to national prominence after managing Andrzej Duda's presidential campaign. She currently serves as a member of the European Parliament.
Beata Szydło served as the Prime Minister of Poland from 2015 to 2017, becoming the third woman to occupy the office. A member of the Law and Justice party, she rose to prominence by managing the successful presidential campaign of Andrzej Duda before securing a parliamentary majority and steering the country through a period of significant domestic and international policy shifts.
Academic and Local Foundations
Born in Oświęcim in 1963, Szydło pursued extensive academic training in ethnography at Jagiellonian University, completing her degree in 1989. She later earned post-graduate qualifications in cultural management from the SGH Warsaw School of Economics and specialized in local government management at the Kraków University of Economics. Her entry into public service began with a seven-year tenure as the mayor of Gmina Brzeszcze.
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Szydło first gained a seat in the Sejm in 2005, representing the Chrzanów district. Her influence within the Law and Justice party grew steadily, culminating in her appointment as party treasurer in 2014 and vice-chairman in 2010. Following her management of Duda’s 2015 presidential campaign, she was selected as the party’s prime ministerial candidate. Her administration took office in November 2015, prioritizing the 500+ programme to provide financial support for families.
International and Domestic Policy
Her tenure was marked by skepticism toward various European Union directives, particularly regarding migration policies. During her administration, the European Parliament raised concerns regarding the status of the Polish Constitutional Tribunal. In 2017, she resigned from the premiership and was succeeded by Mateusz Morawiecki, subsequently serving as his Deputy Prime Minister.
European Parliamentary Career
In 2019, Szydło was elected to the European Parliament, securing the highest number of individual votes of any candidate in Polish history. She resigned her cabinet position to take the seat and continues to serve in the body as of 2024. Within the European Parliament, she has expressed vocal opposition to the European Green Deal, characterizing its mandates as economically detrimental to European citizens.
Fast facts
- Born: 1963, Oświęcim
- Prime Minister of Poland: 2015–2017
- Political Party: Law and Justice
- Education: Jagiellonian University; SGH Warsaw School of Economics; Krakow University of Economics
- Current Position: Member of the European Parliament
- Religion: Catholicism
- Spouse: Edward Szydło
Questions readers ask
What was the 500+ programme?
Introduced on 1 April 2016, this policy provided families with 500 PLN for every child, starting from the second child, to stimulate demographic growth.
Why did Beata Szydło resign as Prime Minister?
She resigned in December 2017 after Jarosław Kaczyński, the chairman of her party, withdrew confidence in her capacity to continue as the party's lead election candidate.
