Who is Poland's next President Karol Nawrocki?

New Polish president Karol Nawrocki supports military aid for Ukraine, wins election with tough-guy image.

Karol Nawrocki, the conservative historian who won Poland's presidential election, cultivated a tough-guy image during his campaign, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and boxing rings.

While his liberal opponent Rafal Trzaskowski played up his European credentials, Mr. Nawrocki met Donald Trump at the White House and received the U.S. President's backing for his bid for Poland's top job.

According to the final result from the electoral commission, Mr. Nawrocki won the election with 50.89% of the votes.

Unlike other eurosceptics in central Europe, such as Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico or Hungary's Viktor Orban, Mr. Nawrocki supports giving military aid to help Ukraine fend off Russia's three-year-old invasion.

But he has said that, if elected, he will oppose membership in Western alliances for Ukraine, a position that seeks to chime with falling support for Ukrainians among Poles, who have hosted more than a million refugees from across the border.

His backers in the Law and Justice (PiS) party had supported fast-tracking membership in the EU and NATO for Kyiv while in power until late 2023.

Mr. Nawrocki's critics said he was fuelling unease over Ukrainian refugees at a time when the far-right is highlighting migration, the cost of living and security. He cited his campaign slogan, Poland First.