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The nationalist candidate of the opposition Karol Nawrocki narrowly won the presidential election of Poland, the results showed on Monday, giving a major blow to the efforts of the centrist government to cement the pro-European orientation of Warsaw.
Nawrocki obtained 50.89% of the votes, data from the electoral commission showed – a result that presages more political impassion because it is likely to use its presidential veto to thwart the liberal policy program of Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
The Tusk government has sought to reverse the judicial reforms made by the national government of the nationalist law and justice (IP), but the current president Andrzej Duda, an ally, blocked his efforts.
Nawrocki’s rival, Rafal Trzaskowski, the liberal mayor of Warsaw, who represented the Civic Coalition (KO) in power of Tusk, obtained 49.11%, showed the data. The participation rate was 71.31%, said the electoral commission, a record in the second round of a presidential election.
“I am sorry not to have managed to convince the majority of citizens of my vision of Poland,” said Trzaskowski on X. “I congratulate Karol Nawrocki for winning the presidential election.”
While the Parliament of Poland holds the most power, the president can oppose his veto to the legislation and influence foreign policy, and the vote was closely monitored in Ukraine, as well as in Russia, in the United States and the European Union.
Nawrocki, like his predecessor Duda, should block attempts by the government of defense of the liberalization of abortion or the reform of the judiciary.
“Everything was on a knife edge,” said Patryk Marek, a 32 -year -old computer specialist. “The feelings are undoubtedly mixed for this moment. But how small this margin was, it tells us how divided we are, almost in two, as electors.”
Zelenskyy congratulates the winner
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy was one of the leaders offering their congratulations to Nawrocki on Monday morning, recognition of the key role in Poland as a neighbor, ally and hub for Western weapons sent to kyiv in his war against Russia.
“I can’t wait to continue to cooperate fruitful with Poland and with President Nawrocki,” said Zelenskyy.
Nawrocki was supported by US President Donald Trump, with around 10,000 American soldiers stationed in Poland.
Nawrocki, 42, a newcomer to politics that previously directed a National Institute of Souvenir, echoed Trump’s languages on Ukraine. He promises to continue the support of Poland to Ukraine but criticized Zelenskyy, accusing him of taking advantage of the allies, and he opposed Ukrainian membership in Western alliances.
The candidate also accused Ukrainian refugees of taking advantage of Polish generosity, promising to prioritize the centers for social services such as health care and schooling.
Nawrocki has promised to protect the sovereignty of Poland and took care of what he said was excessive interference in the affairs of the European Union in Brussels. The EU brought the government previous in court during its judicial reforms, saying that it had undermined the rule of law and democratic standards.
During a meeting with Slawomir Mentzen, the far -right candidate who was in third place in the first round of the elections, Nawrocki signed a declaration that he will not accept any European treaty which “would weaken the position of Poland”.
Nawrocki eliminates allegations
Nawrocki has won despite his preparing past the last days of the presidential campaign, including allegations of previous ties with criminal personalities and his participation in a violent street fight. He denies the criminal links but without excuse on the street fight, saying that he had participated in “noble” fights in his life.
Congratulations pang by other nationalist and Eurosceptic politicians. The candidate on the right defeated in the elections of Romania, George Simion, wrote on X “Poland won”, while Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban praised a “fantastic victory”.
The runoff in Poland intervened only two weeks after the centrist mayor of Romania, the mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, had brought a blow to the hard forces and nationalists in Central Europe by winning the presidential competition of this country.
The result could increase the head of the Eurosceptic opposition of the Czech Republic and former Prime Minister Andrej Babis, who directs opinion polls before an October election. Babis offered “warm congratulations” on X.
The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said that she was convinced that the EU could continue her “very good cooperation” with Poland.
