Winnicki attended but did not graduate from the University of Wrocław where he studied political science. After his studies he worked in real estate and managed a hotel. He also worked as a journalist.^[2] His first political campaign was in 2007 when he unsuccessfully ran in the 2007 Polish parliamentary election as a candidate for the League of Polish Families (LPR).^[3] However, his political profile became well known and he was elected Chairman of the All-Polish Youth in 2009 and served until 2013. His tenure as chairman was the second longest in the Third Polish Republic and through his leadership the organization grew despite the collapse of the LPR. After his tenure ended he was the given the title of honorary chairman.

In 2011, he worked with other nationalist groups to form and officially organize the "Independence March", a manifestation that would take place annually on 11 November, the anniversary of Poland's independence. The march went from being a marginal event to the single biggest annual march in the country. It has created mass controversy abroad.^[4]

In 2012 he co-founded the National Movement, which was founded to replace the LPR and the many other fringe nationalist parties which have come and gone through the years. In 2014 it was officially registered as a party and Winnicki became its first chairman.^[5]

In 2018, Winnicki and Janusz Korwin-Mikke announced that their parties will be forming a coalition ahead of the elections coming up in 2019. The Confederation Freedom and Independence was formed and officially registered next year.^[6]