Trump-backed Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election

Conservative Karol Nawrocki won Poland’s weekend presidential run-off election, according to the final vote count on Monday. Nawrocki won 50.89 per cent of votes in a very tight race against liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, who received 49.11 per cent. The close race had the country on edge since a first round two weeks earlier and through the night into Monday, revealing deep divisions in the country along the eastern flank of Nato and the European Union. An early exit poll released on Sunday evening suggested Trzaskowski was headed to victory before updated polling began to reverse the picture hours later. The outcome suggests that Poland can be expected to take a more nationalist path under its new leader, who was backed by US President Donald Trump. Most day-to-day power in the Polish political system rests with a prime minister chosen by the parliament. However, the president’s role is not merely ceremonial. The office holds the power to influence foreign policy and to veto legislation. Nawrocki will succeed Andrzej Duda, a conservative whose second and final term ends on August 6. Prime Minister Donald Tusk came to power in late 2023 at the end of a coalition government that spans a broad ideological divide – so broad that it has not been able to fulfil certain of Tusk’s electoral promises, such as loosening the restrictive abortion law. But Duda’s veto power has been another obstacle. It has prevented Tusk from fulfilling promises to reverse laws that politicised the court system in a way that the European Union declared to be undemocratic. Now it appears Tusk will have no way to fulfil those promises, which he made both to voters and to the EU. Some observers in Poland have said the unfulfilled promises could make it more difficult for Tusk to continue his term until the next parliamentary election scheduled for late 2027, particularly if the Law and Justice party dangles the prospect of future cooperation with conservatives in his coalition. Nawrocki, a 42-year-old amateur boxer and historian, was tapped by the party as part of its push for a fresh start. The party governed Poland from 2015 to 2023, when it lost power to a centrist coalition led by Tusk. Some political observers predicted the party would never make a comeback, and Nawrocki was chosen as a new face who would not be burned by the scandals of the party’s eight years of rule. The strategy clearly worked. Nawrocki has most recently been the head of the Institute of National Remembrance, which embraces nationalist historical narratives. Nawrocki’s supporters describe him as the embodiment of traditional, patriotic values. Those who oppose secular trends, including LGBTQ visibility, have embraced him, viewing him as a reflection of the values they grew up with. Nawrocki’s candidacy was clouded by allegations of past connections to criminal figures and his participation in a violent street brawl. He denies the criminal links but was unapologetic about the street fight. Trump made it clear he wanted Nawrocki as Poland’s president. He welcomed Nawrocki to the White House a month ago. Kristi Noem, the US Homeland Security Secretary and a prominent Trump ally, strongly praised Nawrocki and urged Poles to vote for him. The US has about 10,000 troops stationed in Poland and Noem suggested that military ties could deepen with Nawrocki as president. A common refrain from Nawrocki’s supporters is that he would restore “normality”, as they believe Trump has done. US flags often appeared at Nawrocki’s rallies, and his supporters believed that he offered a better chance for good ties with the Trump administration. Nawrocki has also echoed some of Trump’s language on Ukraine. He promises to continue Poland’s support for Ukraine but has been critical of President Volodymyr Zelensky, accusing him of taking advantage of allies. He has accused Ukrainian refugees of taking advantage of Polish generosity, vowing to prioritise Poles for social services such as healthcare and schooling. Trzaskowski conceded defeat and congratulated Nawrocki on Monday, thanking all those who voted for him. “I fought for us to build a strong, safe, honest, and empathetic Poland together,” he wrote on X. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to convince the majority of citizens of my vision for Poland. I’m sorry we didn’t win together.” Congratulations from different corners Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was among the leaders offering their congratulations to Nawrocki, an acknowledgement of Poland’s key role as a neighbour, ally and hub for Western weapons sent to Kyiv. He called Poland “a pillar of regional and European security”. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who shares Nawrocki’s national conservative world view, hailed Nawrocki’s “fantastic victory”. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen offered measured congratulations, emphasising continued EU-Poland collaboration rooted in shared democratic values. “We are all stronger together in our community of peace, democracy, and values. So let us work to ensure the security and prosperity of our common home.”

Trump-backed Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Polish conservative Karol Nawrocki, an amateur boxer and historian who embraces nationalist historical narratives, will succeed Andrzej Duda

Polish conservative Karol Nawrocki, an amateur boxer and historian who embraces nationalist historical narratives, will succeed Andrzej Duda