Karol Nawrocki Wins Poland’s Presidency

Karol Nawrocki, a combative right-wing historian and ally of the Law and Justice (PiS) party, has narrowly won Poland’s presidential election, securing 50.89% of the vote over liberal Warsaw mayor Rafał Trzaskowski.

The victory not only prolonged PiS’s grip on the presidency — now extending to a decade-long hold on the office, but also delivered a major blow to centrist Prime Minister Donald Tusk, whose pro-EU government had pledged to dismantle PiS’s legacy and restore liberal democratic norms.

Nawrocki, 42, emerged as an underdog throughout the campaign, surviving damaging reports about his past, including his self-professed brawls with soccer hooligans. A vocal supporter of Donald Trump, he even visited the White House weeks before the election. His late-game endorsement from a far-right third-place finisher proved decisive in the runoff.

Though technically running as an independent — as is typical in Polish presidential contests — Nawrocki’s close alignment with PiS was never in doubt. His win means he now holds the presidential veto, a powerful tool previously used by outgoing President Andrzej Duda to stifle Tusk’s legislative agenda.

Nawrocki’s win presents a serious challenge to the European Union’s hopes that Poland, under Tusk, could serve as a model for post-populist recovery. The result suggests PiS still commands deep grassroots support, particularly outside urban liberal strongholds, despite losing parliamentary power in 2023.

With Tusk’s coalition lacking a supermajority in parliament, Nawrocki’s veto power could stall judicial reforms, media restructuring, and EU-aligned policies.

While Trzaskowski accepted the results, he warned supporters that “this fight is not over,” framing the outcome as a temporary setback in Poland’s battle over democracy and identity.

As the dust settles, Poland is once again at the crossroads; its government split between liberal reformers in parliament and a nationalist president determined to preserve the populist order.