Breaking News
The presidential election in Poland is still undecided. According to the first projections from TV broadcasters, the liberal candidate Trzaskowski is narrowly ahead of the right-wing conservative contender Nawrocki.
In the runoff for the presidency in Poland, an expected close race is unfolding. The candidate of the pro-European government, Rafal Trzaskowski, currently has 50.3% of the votes according to initial calculations from Ipsos for broadcasters TVN, TVP, and Polsat. Meanwhile, the candidate supported by the right-wing Law and Justice Party (PiS), Karol Nawrocki, is at 49.7%.
This means that a definitive statement about the winner is not yet possible because the statistical margin of error has been stated as two percentage points. Nevertheless, Trzaskowski declared victory shortly after the announcement of the first prognosis. “We won,” he stated amidst the cheers of his supporters, “but it is razor-thin.”
The nationalist candidate Karol Nawrocki, on his part, proclaimed, “We will win tonight.” Both candidates were celebrated by their supporters.
Pivotal Election
Analysts believe that the outcome of the election will have a significant impact on whether Poland will solidify its position in the European Union or veer towards a form of nationalism similar to that led by US President Donald Trump.
In the first round conducted in mid-May, neither candidate achieved the necessary majority of at least 50%. Trzaskowski had narrowly led at that time, while the far-right camp had unexpectedly garnered substantial support.
Tusk Government Hopes for Liberal’s Victory
The independent Nawrocki is the candidate of the right-wing PiS, Poland’s largest opposition party. The PiS governed the country from 2015 until 2023, tightening control over the judiciary and clashing with Brussels over this interference in the separation of powers.
The center-left coalition that has been in power since December 2023, led by Donald Tusk, has attempted to roll back many of those policies. However, the current President, Andrzej Duda, from PiS, has blocked these with his veto. Tusk does not have the necessary 60% majority in parliament to override presidential vetoes.
Consequently, the Polish Prime Minister is optimistic about a victory for his political ally Trzaskowski. The 53-year-old Mayor of Warsaw is seen as progressive and left-leaning within his political camp. As President, he would support Tusk’s agenda.
President of Poland with Significant Powers
The President in Poland serves a five-year term and holds more powers than the Federal President in Germany. The head of state not only represents the nation externally.
The President also influences foreign policy, appoints the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, and serves as the commander-in-chief of the Polish armed forces in times of war. Above all, he can complicate the government’s agenda with his veto power.