Poland’s Presidential Election Delivers a Shocking Twist—Who Really Won?

Poland’s 2025 presidential election ended in high drama, with conservative historian Karol Nawrocki narrowly defeating centrist Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski in the runoff. Official results show Nawrocki secured 50.89% of the vote (10,606,877 votes), while Trzaskowski finished with 49.11% (10,237,286 votes) The margin—just over 369,000 votes—marks one of the closest presidential races in Polish history.

The first round, held on May, saw Trzaskowski leading with 31.4%, followed by Nawrocki at 29.5%. However, the runoff on June reversed the momentum, with Nawrocki’s strong support in rural areas proving decisive Early exit polls had suggested a possible Trzaskowski victory, prompting both candidates to claim the edge before the final count was released.

Nawrocki’s win signals a shift toward nationalist policies and could complicate the pro-European agenda of Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s coalition government, which lacks the parliamentary majority to override presidential vetoes With turnout at a high 71.6%, the election underscores deep divisions in Polish society and sets the stage for contentious political battles ahead.