Poland to hold pivotal Presidential election influenced by Donald Trump, war in Ukraine
The Hindu
Poland's Presidential runoff election on June 1, 2025, will determine the country's future direction between two contrasting candidates.
Poland is set to hold a Presidential runoff election on Sunday (June 1, 2025) between two candidates offering starkly different visions for the country's future.
The winner will succeed President Andrzej Duda, a conservative who is finishing his second and final term. The outcome will determine whether Poland embraces a nationalist populist trajectory or pivots more fully toward liberal, pro-European policies. An exit poll by Ipsos will be released when polls close on Sunday at 9 p.m. local time, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2% points. Final results are expected on Monday (June 2, 2025.)
Whoever wins can be expected to either help or hinder the agenda of the centrist government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk thanks to the Presidential power to veto laws.
The vote comes amid heightened regional tensions driven by Russia's war in neighbouring Ukraine, security concerns across Europe and internal debates about the rule of law.
It follows a first round on May 18, in which Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski won more than 31% of the vote and Karol Nawrocki, a conservative historian, earned nearly 30%. Eleven other candidates were eliminated.
Opinion polls show the two men running neck and neck. Other factors add to the unpredictability. Mr. Nawrocki did much better in the first round than surveys had predicted, indicating that his strength was underestimated. On the other hand, large numbers of Poles abroad have registered to vote in the second round, which could help Mr. Trzaskowski.
Mr. Nawrocki is a 42-year-old historian who was tapped as by the national conservative Law and Justice party despite a lack of political experience or party membership. But this is seen as acting in his favour, as the party, which governed for 2015-2023, seeks to refresh its image before a Parliamentary election in 2027.
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