Poland’s 2025 presidential election ended in a dramatic upset as conservative historian Karol Nawrocki narrowly defeated centrist Warsaw mayor Rafał Trzaskowski in the runoff held on June. With all votes counted, Nawrocki secured 50.89% of the vote, while Trzaskowski finished with 49.11%, a margin of just 369,591 votes out of more than 21 million cast.
The election saw a record candidates in the first round on May, with Trzaskowski leading at 31.4% and Nawrocki close behind at 29.5%. Right-wing candidates performed strongly, pushing the contest to a runoff between the two frontrunners.
Initial exit polls on election night suggested a possible Trzaskowski victory, but late polling and the official count flipped the outcome in Nawrocki’s favor The tight result reflects a deeply divided electorate and is seen as a setback for Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s pro-European government, which lacks a parliamentary supermajority to override presidential vetoes.
Nawrocki, 42, is a eurosceptic and former head of Poland’s national remembrance institute. His campaign focused on national priorities and conservative values, signaling continuity with outgoing president Andrzej Duda’s policies The presidency in Poland is largely ceremonial but carries significant veto power, which could complicate government reforms on issues like the judiciary and abortion laws.
Voter turnout reached 71.6%, underscoring the high stakes and intense public interest in this year’s election.
