The Conservative politician Andrzej Duda has been sworn in as Poland’s new president, immediately calling for a stronger Nato presence in his country to counter a perceived military threat from Russia.

In his first speech as president to the two chambers of parliament, Duda, 43, also said he will uphold his pledges to raise the tax-free allowance and lower the retirement age.

As supreme commander of Poland’s armed forces, he said he was especially concerned about the nation’s security in the face of a resurgent Russia. “We need a greater presence of Nato in this part of Europe,” Duda said.

He vowed to press for more Nato security guarantees at the group’s summit in Warsaw next year. He called his programme Newport Plus, in reference to a summit in Wales last year that decided on a rapid reaction force in the region, which is still being formed. Duda insisted that was not enough.

Within the EU, he vowed to speak with more authority on Poland’s goals and needs to make them clearer to political partners.

A former member of the opposition Law and Justice party, he appealed for mutual respect and cooperation. He will have to find ways to work with the liberal coalition government of Civic Platform and a small farmer party.

Duda was sworn in before the national assembly of lawmakers and senators at parliament, in the presence of the government and of his predecessor, Bronisław Komorowski. Duda’s wife, Agata, was standing by his side. His parents and daughter were also there.

Duda’s electoral victory in May over Komorowski was a surprise and a warning to the ruling coalition that it may lose power in October’s general elections.