Right-wing Trump-inspired candidate wins Poland's presidential election
2 June 2025, 05:43 | Updated: 2 June 2025, 05:47
A Trump-inspired conservative historian has won Poland’s presidential election.
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Karol Nawrocki won 50.89% of votes compared to his liberal, pro-EU rival Rafal Trzaskowski’s 49.11%.
Previous polling had suggested the result was the other way around, with Mr Trzaskowski declaring victory at one point on Sunday evening.
A staunch conservative, Mr Nawrocki has promised to defend so-called Polish values and has been vocally sceptical of the EU.
Mr Trzaskowski, meanwhile, had promised greater freedoms for LGBTQ citizens and more rights for women.
Poland’s president will play a crucial role in determining whether the country’s centrist government can enact the changes it has promised.
The victory of an anti-EU candidate will concern Poland’s neighbours in Ukraine, as Poland turns away from the bloc towards nationalism.
With conservative President Andrzej Duda completing his second and final term, the new president will have significant influence over whether Prime Minister Donald Tusk's centrist government can fulfil its agenda, given the presidential power to veto laws.
The run-off follows a tightly contested first round of voting on May 18, in which Mr Trzaskowski won just over 31% and Mr Nawrocki nearly 30%, eliminating 11 other candidates.
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