Poland: the short journal for Monday 12 October 2026

Kraków has chosen its next mayor, schools remain in the spotlight and drivers need to watch fuel prices. Here are four stories to begin the week.

Original AI-generated illustration: an imagined composition inspired by Kraków. It does not depict a documented election scene.

Lead story · Łukasz Gibała wins the election in Kraków

Łukasz Gibała won the second round of the early mayoral election in Kraków on 11 October. According to the complete results reported this Monday by Polish media, he received 62.12% of the vote, compared with 37.88% for Monika Piątkowska. Radio Rzeszów reports 161,184 votes for Gibała and 98,306 for his opponent.

An electoral victory must be distinguished from taking office: the radio reports that the oath is planned for the city council session on 21 October. The change in leadership is therefore the political development to follow, without attributing decisions not yet made to the mayor-elect.

Schools · Heightened vigilance as pupils return

Following last week’s violence and threats, school security remains a major issue this Monday. Radio Gdańsk reports a police presence in the city’s schools and an appeal for parents to check that children are not bringing dangerous objects. The outlet also mentions the availability of school psychologists and educational specialists.

Families should follow instructions from their school and local authorities. These measures should not be turned into an announcement of nationwide school closures. Online rumours alone do not prove the existence of a nationally organised challenge.

Budget · Fuel price caps applying this Monday

For 10, 11 and 12 October, the Ministry of Energy sets the following maximum prices: PLN 6.97 per litre for 95-octane petrol, PLN 7.85 for 98-octane petrol and PLN 8.06 for diesel. The announcement was published on 9 October, but its applicable period includes this Monday.

These amounts are regulatory caps, not nationwide average prices. A station may charge less. When filling up after 12 October, consult the newly applicable announcement rather than automatically reusing these figures.

Europe · A Polish-Lithuanian defence occasion

The Ministry of Defence announces an award ceremony for the Poland–Lithuania Cooperation and Dialogue Forum this Monday, 12 October, at 16:00 at the College of Europe in Natolin. The recipient is Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence and Space. Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz is due to participate.

This is an announced event, not a report confirming that it took place. It puts Polish-Lithuanian cooperation and the European dimension of defence on the day’s agenda; it does not itself constitute the announcement of a new military contract.