A pro-EU Warsaw mayor and a nationalist historian are neck-and-neck going into Sunday’s vote. The result could have major implications for Poland’s place in Europe. DW has the latest.
https://p.dw.com/p/4vEsp
What you need to know
- Poles will decide between Warsaw’s pro-EU mayor Rafal Trzaskowski and nationalist historian Karol Nawrocki
- Opinion polls have predicted a close race, with Nawrocki at 50.1% and Trzaskowski at 49.9%
- Trzaskowski narrowly won the first round of voting on May 18
- The result could have major implications for Poland, a NATO and European Union member
- Polish presidents can veto government bills and are also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces
Here’s the latest news and updates on Poland’s presidential runoff on June 1, 2025:
June 1, 2025
Who are the candidates?
Poland’s presidential runoff has boiled down to a radically different ideological choice: a pro-European liberal versus a staunch nationalist.
Rafal Trzaskowski is backed by the governing Civic Coalition party of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a former European Council president. He was elected mayor of Warsaw in 2018 and re-elected in 2024.
A former deputy foreign minister, the 53-year-old has promised to soften Poland’s near-total abortion ban and protect LGBTQ rights. His victory would allow Tusk to push ahead with his reformist agenda.
In 2020, Trzaskowski narrowly lost his first presidential bid to incumbent Andrzej Duda, who is finishing his second and final term.
This time around, the race is expected to be even tighter. The Warsaw mayor is pitted against Karol Nawrocki, a historian endorsed by Duda who has blocked several laws with his veto power.
The 42-year-old has positioned himself as a defender of traditional Polish values. He campaigned under the slogan “Poland first, Poles first”.
Nawrocki, an admirer of US President Donald Trump, is skeptical of the EU. His win would be a major boost for the opposition Law and Justice party, which governed Poland between 2015 and 2023.
His supporters want stricter curbs on immigration. Nawrocki has called for border controls with Germany to keep out migrants.
https://p.dw.com/p/4vF2o
June 1, 2025
Polls open as voting gets underway
Polling stations have opened across Poland in the closely fought presidential runoff.
It follows a first round on May 18, in which Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski won by a razor-thin margin. Trzaskowski earned just over 31% against nearly 30% for Karol Nawrocki, a conservative historian. Eleven other candidates were eliminated.
Voting will end at 9:00 pm (1900 GMT) when exit polls are expected to come out. Final results are likely to be announced on Monday.
https://p.dw.com/p/4vF03
June 1, 2025
WATCH — What’s at stake in Poland’s presidential election?
DW Brussels bureau chief Alexandra von Nahmen explains how the outcome will determine whether Poland embraces a nationalist path or pivots to more pro-EU policies.
Due to the presidential power to veto laws, the winner could make or break the agenda of the centrist government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Poland holds a pivotal presidential runoff
https://p.dw.com/p/4vEwo
June 1, 2025
Presidential runoff in Poland: Why every vote matters
Agnieszka Hreczuk
Rafal Trzaskowski or Karol Nawrocki? Opinion polls see both remaining candidates neck-and-neck in the runoff.
To many Polish voters, the Sunday’s election is not so much about who they want, but who they don’t want to see in office.
Read more on what’s at stake in Poland’s presidential election.
https://p.dw.com/p/4vEvx
June 1, 2025
Welcome to DW’s coverage of the 2025 Poland presidential election
Poland will go to the polls today to vote in a runoff presidential election between two candidates with starkly different visions for the country.
Voters will choose between pro-EU Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, backed by Prime MMinister Donald Tusk, and conservative nationalist Karol Nawrocki, supported by the opposition Law and Justice party.
The winner will succeed incumbent President Andrzej Duda, who is finishing his second and final term.
DW will be tracking the latest developments and bringing you multimedia content and analysis on the vote.
https://p.dw.com/p/4vEvo
