Poland election results: Who won, who lost, what’s next | Elections News

Karol Nawrocki, candidate for the right -wing opposition in Poland, narrow The second cycle of voting in the country presidential election Sunday, according to the National Electoral Commission (NEC).

Here is everything you need to know about the results:

Who won the presidential election in Poland?

Nawrocki won with 50.89% of the vote, the NEC website updated early on Monday.

He defeated the liberal mayor of Warsaw Rafal Trzaskowskiwhich obtained 49.11% of the votes.

The result was a surprise because output survey had screened a narrow loss for Nawrocki.

What happened in the first round of the elections?

THE first round took place on May 18, where, as expected, none of the 13 presidential candidates could reach a 50%threshold.

Trzaskowski won 31.4% of the vote, while Nawrocki obtained 29.5%. While the two main candidates, Nawrocki and Trzaskowski went to runoff.

Who is Karol Nawrocki, the new president of Poland?

Nawrocki, 42, is a conservative historian and an amateur boxer.

He challenged as an independent candidate, supported by the outgoing president, the law and justice of Andrzej Duda (PIS), the main opposition party in Poland.

The academic work of the newly elected president, as a historian, was focused on anti-communist resistance. Currently, he heads the Institute of National Souvenir, a research institute funded by the government based in Warsaw which studies the history of Poland during the Second World War and the period of communism until 1990.

At the Institute, Nawrocki removed the Soviet commemorative monuments, overwhelming Russia.

He administered the Museum of the Second World War in the Polish city of Gdansk from 2017 to 2021.

Nawrocki had his share of controversies. In 2018, he published a book on a notorious gangster under the pseudonym “Tadeusz Batyr”. In public comments, Nawrocki and Batyr rented each other, without revealing that they were the same person.

The administration of American president Donald Trump threw his weight behind Nawrocki during the Polish elections. The conservative political action conference of the American group (CPAC) held its first meeting in Poland on May 27. “We need you to elect the right leader,” said Kristi Noem, American security secretary, during the CPAC event.

Calling Trzaskowski “an absolute train wreck in a leader”, Noem said: “I just had the opportunity to meet Karol and listen: he must be the next president of Poland. Do you understand me? “

How did Nawrocki win?

Experts say that the consistency of Nawrocki’s messages on the campaign track may have won his victory.

“People choose someone they consider strong, clear and coherent,” Liliana Shiech, president of the Foundation Council of the Warsaw Institute, a Polish non -profit reflection group specializing in geopolitics and international affairs, told Al Jazeera.

“Even with the accusations against him, the voters preferred his firmness to the constant brand change of Trzaskowski. Trzaskowski tried to be everything for everyone and ended up convincing anyone. Nawrocki looks like someone who can manage pressure. He became the president for difficult times.”

Unlike Trzaskowski, Shiech said that Nawrocki “did not try to please everyone.”

However, he managed to please enough voters to win.

What is the meaning of Nawrocki’s victory?

Most of the power in Poland rests in the Prime Minister’s hands. The holder, Donald Tusk, heads a central-right coalition government, and Trzaskowski was the candidate of the power alliance.

Nawrocki was deeply critical of the Tusk administration. The president has the capacity to veto the legislation and to influence the decisions of military and foreign policy.

On the campaign track, Nawrocki has promised to reduce taxes and withdraw Poland from the European Union Pact on migration and asylum, an agreement on new migration management rules and define a common asylum system; And the European green agreement, which establishes references for environmental protection for the EU, such as the complete cessation of net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050.

Like other candidates, including Trzaskowski, Nawrocki asked that Poland spending up to 5% of its gross domestic product (GDP) in defense. Poland spent 3.8% of its GDP on military spending in 2023, according to data from the World Bank.

“Some expected a wave of support for the left or liberal side, especially among young people. This did not happen. Nawrocki won in the 18-39 age group,” said Shiech.

“It is a clear message: people always care about sovereignty, tradition and strong leadership. Even young voters do not accept the idea of ​​”new progressive Poland”. “

What were the main problems of the Polish elections?

The Russian-Ukraine War, which began in February 2022, is a worrying question for the Poles, who are afraid of an overflow of Russian aggression in Poland because of its proximity to Ukraine.

While Poland initially launched its full support behind Ukraine, Tensions have increased Between Poland and Ukraine.

Nawrocki is opposed to Ukraine joining NATO and the EU.

However, at the same time, Poland and Nawrocki remain deeply suspicious of Russia.

On May 12, the Polish Foreign Ministry said An investigation revealed that Russian intelligence agencies had orchestrated a massive fire in a shopping center in Warsaw in May 2024. This is why several candidates of this election proposed to increase the defense budget to 5% of GDP.

Abortion is a key problem in Poland, which has part of the The most strict laws of abortion in Europe. In August 2024, Prime Minister Tusk admitted that he did not have enough support from the Parliament to keep his key promises and change the law on abortion. Worse, which argued Nawrocki, is opposed to the legalization of abortion.

Other questions included economic concerns concerning taxes, housing costs and the state of public transport.

What is the next step?

Nawrocki should be sworn in on August 6.

Smeich said Nawrocki will have to prove that he is not only good in the countryside, but also to govern.

“The expectations are high. People want someone who will defend the interests of Poland, remains firm under pressure and will not give in to the media or foreign influence. He begins his mandate in a difficult moment – exactly the kind of moment for which he was elected.”