In early February, President Karol Nawrocki requested files on four convicted individuals from the Attorney General of Poland. This request was made in accordance with Article 567 § 2 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which allows the President to initiate a pardoning process independently of the usual court review process. Unlike the ordinary procedure, where a convicted individual needs to seek a court's positive opinion, the presidential procedure grants the President more direct control over the pardoning decisions.

The article outlines the key differences between the presidential pardoning process and the standard court process. In the presidential procedure, the specific action is initiated by the President without the mandatory endorsement from the judiciary, which significantly alters the dynamics of how pardons are processed. The implications of this procedural distinction underscore a potential shift in the administration’s approach toward justice and rehabilitation, as the President has the authority to act without judicial restraint.

Additionally, the article mentions three individuals who have already received pardons from President Nawrocki. This raises questions about the political motivations behind these decisions, especially in light of previous controversies surrounding pardons, such as the backlash faced by former President Andrzej Duda for pardoning a pedophile, which almost jeopardized his re-election campaign. Such context reinforces the sentiment that pardoning decisions can have substantial political ramifications, affecting not only individual lives but also the broader electoral landscape.