Did Karol Nawrocki Secure Victory in Poland's Presidential Elections?

Synopsis
In a surprising turn of events, Karol Nawrocki has emerged victorious in Poland's presidential runoff election, defeating Rafal Trzaskowski. This election marks a pivotal moment for Poland as Nawrocki, an independent candidate backed by the Law and Justice party, prepares to lead the nation towards a potentially more nationalist future.
Key Takeaways
- Karol Nawrocki wins presidential runoff election.
- Secured 50.89% of the vote against Rafal Trzaskowski.
- Nawrocki's victory indicates a potential shift to a nationalist agenda.
- This election marks Nawrocki's debut in presidential politics.
- He is set to succeed Andrzej Duda as president.
Warsaw, June 2 (NationPress) Karol Nawrocki, an independent candidate with support from the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, emerged victorious in Poland's presidential runoff election, as per the final vote tally released by the Polish National Electoral Commission (PKW) early Monday.
The official result, stating "Elected in the second round," was displayed next to Nawrocki's name on PKW's public website on Monday.
Nawrocki, a historian and the current head of Poland's Institute of National Remembrance, secured 50.89% of the votes in the presidential runoff, surpassing Rafal Trzaskowski, the ruling Civic Coalition (KO) candidate and mayor of Warsaw, who received 49.11%, according to reports from the Xinhua news agency.
This was Nawrocki's inaugural presidential campaign—an arduous challenge from the outset. He consistently lagged behind Trzaskowski in opinion polls, including an initial exit survey released on Sunday evening.
Born in 1983 in Gdansk, Nawrocki is poised to take over from the incumbent president Andrzej Duda, whose second and final term concludes on August 6.
The outgoing president, Andrzej Duda, like Nawrocki, is affiliated with Law and Justice and frequently vetoed legislation passed by Mr. Tusk’s
An early exit poll released on Sunday (June 1, 2025) initially suggested Trzaskowski was on track for victory, but updated polling hours later shifted the narrative.
The result signals that Poland may adopt a more nationalist direction under its new leader, who has garnered support from US President Donald Trump.