In a dramatic turn of events, Karol Nawrocki, a nationalist historian and vocal admirer of former U.S. President Donald Trump, has clinched a narrow but decisive victory in Poland’s presidential runoff election.
According to official results announced on Monday by the Polish national election commission, Nawrocki secured 50.89% of the votes, narrowly defeating Rafal Trzaskowski, the pro-EU mayor of Warsaw, who garnered 49.11%.
This outcome is a significant setback for Poland’s centrist, pro-European Union government, which now faces potential challenges to its progressive policy agenda. The election saw a record voter turnout of 71.63%, reflecting the highly polarized mood in the EU and NATO member country.
Outgoing President Andrzej Duda, who had publicly endorsed Nawrocki, congratulated him on social media, saying, “Congratulations to the winner!” and thanked citizens for fulfilling their civic duties.
At his victory rally in Warsaw, Nawrocki addressed his supporters with confidence, saying, “We will win and we will save Poland.” His win signals a possible return to conservative policies and could reopen friction with Brussels over issues such as judicial independence, LGBTQ rights, and abortion laws.
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Nawrocki has also expressed skepticism over Ukraine’s EU and NATO membership ambitions and has vowed to reduce welfare benefits for Ukrainian refugees in Poland, straining diplomatic ties further.
During his campaign, Nawrocki visited the White House and received a personal message from Trump: “You will win.” He also secured endorsement from US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, who said at a Polish conservative summit, “He needs to be the next president.”
His presidency is expected to wield strong influence over foreign policy, defence, and legislation, due to the president’s veto power—something the current pro-EU parliament cannot override without a three-fifths majority.
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