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Politics is, certainly, about pursuing the common good and the general interests, but it is also about leaders, leadership, and power. True leaders are those who inspire others to believe in their vision and to follow them, to trust in their ability to innovate or bring about genuine change. Not everyone can be a leader. Reading books on “the art of leadership” does not automatically make someone a leader. However, the expertise and examples of today’s leaders – the challenges they’ve faced, the mistakes they’ve made and learned from, the lessons they’ve gained – are incredibly valuable for the future leaders.
I had the pleasure of participating in the second edition of the European Leader Lab, organized by the European Conservatives and Reformists Party and the About Polska organization on July 4–5, 2026, in Warsaw. With the theme “Architects of Change: From Vision to Action,” this edition brought together young conservatives who had the opportunity to learn from party leaders, members of national parliaments, and experts in various fields, who spoke about what political leadership means, as well as the values we care and challenges facing Europe and its peoples.
Mateusz Morawiecki, President of the ECR Party, and Secretary General Antonio Giordano addressed via video messages. Giordano cited two remarkable leaders of our time who, while still young, succeeded in reaching key positions in their own governments. On the one hand, President of the Italian Council of Ministers Georgia Meloni, who, in 2008, at just 31 years old became the youngest minister in modern Italy, and Mykhailo Fedorov, 35, former Minister for Digital Transformation and current Minister of Defense in Kyiv. “The future belongs to those who are already ready – when the opportunity comes,” emphasized the ECR’ Secretary General.
George Simion, President of the Romanian AUR Party and Executive Vice President of the ECR, led an interactive and insightful masterclass not only on national identity and sovereignty, but also on realistic leadership and what it takes to become a politician. Simion used his own example – that of an individual whose notoriety rose from 0% to 99% in just six years – while also admitting that he has learned a lot from politics.
The first panel, titled “Foundations of a Secure Future,” was moderated by Polish lawyer Magdalena Murawska and also featured George Simion, Nikola Grmoja, president of the Croatian Most party, Polish diplomat Bartosz Grodecki, Secretary of State in the National Security Bureau, Małgorzata Zuk, Chairwoman of the National Board of the Law and Justice Youth Forum, MP Paweł Jabłoński, and Law expert Piotr Tafelski. Nikola Grmoja stated that we, as conservatives, are “defenders of enduring values” and that, to succeed in politics, one must be “authentic and bold.” Małgorzata Zuk praised the involvement of young politicians and stated that it is the duty of every generation to provide their own children with a better education, particularly at a time when individual freedoms are under constant attack.
Regarding security and defense, Bartosz Grodecki argued that “anything other than NATO is an illusion, and the eastern flank is crucial within NATO,” a view reinforced by ECR Vice President George Simion, for whom “the only genuine solution is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.” Polish lawmaker Paweł Jabłoński argued that leaders must lead by example and also referred to the so-called “European values,” a topic also addressed by George Simion, who stated that, over the past 15 years, “normal values have come to be viewed as extremist.”
The event’s second panel, moderated by Italian journalist Alice Carrazza, was titled “Building Tomorrow’s Europe: Principles, Priorities, and Leadership” and featured the following speakers: Krzysztof Bosak, deputy speaker of the Sejm, Polish lawyer and activist Anna Krukowska, transatlantic defense and security expert Sebastian Meitz, Maicol Busilacchi, International Secretary of Gioventù Nazionale, and Colonel (ret.) Ray Wojcik, from the Center for European Policy Analysis.
According to Krzysztof Bosak, Christian faith is “the driving force” behind what is truly important to us, while also calling attention to the difficult struggle we constantly wage to defend our sovereignty. Colonel Wojcik also referred to “our Christian values,” citing the case of the United States, where the leftist-atheist ideology’s goal is to eliminate God from all sectors of society.
According to foreign policy expert Sebastian Meitz, what we need to defend the most are our values and sovereignty, while conservative activist Anna Krukowska stated that “it all comes down to identity,” citing the three fundamental pillars: Roman law, Greek philosophy, and the Christian faith.
The second edition of the European Leader Lab concluded with the “Crisis Comms & Legal Defense” workshop, a highly dynamic session led by one of Poland’s most active and dedicated members of Sejm, lawyer Paweł Jabłoński.
More and more young conservative leaders are proving their skills and finding their way in a world that really needs their intellect, dedication, and courage. Right-wing leaders have no reason to apologize for the values they believe in and fight for, but only for “genuine wrongdoing,” as MP Paweł Jabłoński pointed out. These young people are capable of bringing about significant change. The days of plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose are coming to an end – thank God!