Poland walks towards runoff in rigid presidential race

(MENAFN) Poland is heading to a runoff election after a closely contested first round, with pro-European candidate Rafal Trzaskowski narrowly leading conservative rival Karol Nawrocki, according to exit polls released on Sunday.

Trzaskowski, the current mayor of Warsaw and representative of the Civic Coalition, received 31.1% of the vote, while Nawrocki, a conservative historian supported by the Law and Justice (PiS) party, came in just behind with 29.7%, according to an Ipsos poll.

Right-wing candidates dominated the vote overall, signaling a potential political shift. Slawomir Mentzen of the New Hope party and Grzegorz Braun collected 15.4% and 6.2%, respectively, pushing the combined right-leaning vote share to over 51%.

Mentzen is known for his strong Euroskeptic stance, opposition to immigration, support for low taxes, and advocacy for national sovereignty and conservative values.

The runoff election is scheduled for June 1, with the winner set to take office in August.

Trzaskowski, who narrowly lost to incumbent Andrzej Duda five years ago, has campaigned on reversing judicial reforms implemented under the PiS government, boosting defense spending, and maintaining strong support for Ukraine. Despite his pro-Ukraine stance, he has pledged to reduce social benefits for Ukrainian nationals.

Nawrocki also backs military aid for Ukraine but has taken a more critical view of its NATO and EU membership aspirations, insisting that historical grievances—particularly related to the Volyn massacres during World War II—be addressed first. His platform includes a focus on prioritizing Polish citizens in state services.

Nawrocki's campaign gained traction after a recent meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump, who reportedly told him, “You will win.” The race reflects broader political shifts across the EU, where right-wing movements have been gaining momentum in recent elections.

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