Ex-president Komorowski to teach practical politics

Former president Komorowski who left office in early August is now the head of the newly formed Center for Applied Politics at the Polish capital's Collegium Civitas.

"I will seek to show politics from behind the scenes," the former head of state announced at Thursday's ceremony inaugurating the academic year.

"Politics is not only about salon gatherings or pure theory, it's also practical politics, which may sometimes entail the most interesting aspects of governance," Komorowski added.

The university's authorities point to the need for raising social and political awareness, particularly among young people, as the reason behind establishing the new department. The center is to help tackle waning public confidence in institutions of a democratic state.

"Public disinclination towards political decisions and a negative outlook on the political scene in Poland results in the citizens' greater susceptibility to populism and consent to using authoritarian means for solving social problems," the school authorities state.

Collegium Civitas, both an academic institution and think tank, looks to tapping into the knowledge and experience of political practitioners: presidents, prime ministers, ministers and parliamentarians.

"I am aware that this is an experiment for both parties," the former head of state admitted.

Bronislaw Komorowski, who served as Poland's president in the years 2010-2015, saw his political career come to a halt after a narrow defeat to Andrzej Duda in the May presidential ballot. (aba/rk)