Poland’s 2025 presidential election ended in a razor-thin victory for nationalist candidate Karol Nawrocki, who defeated centrist Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski with 50.89% to 49.11% of the vote The official results, confirmed by the state electoral commission, revealed a margin of just over 369,000 votes, making this one of the closest presidential races in Polish history.
Nawrocki, a 42-year-old historian and former head of the national remembrance institute, ran on a platform prioritizing traditional values and policies favoring Polish citizens, with strong backing from the right-wing Law and Justice party His victory is seen as a significant setback for Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s pro-European government, which now faces the challenge of advancing reforms without the ability to override presidential vetoes.
The presidency in Poland, while largely ceremonial, holds crucial veto power over legislation—a power previously used to block liberal reforms, including judiciary changes and abortion law liberalization Nawrocki’s win signals a likely continuation of conservative policies and a more nationalist direction, deepening the divide between Poland’s government and presidency.
Voter turnout reached 71.6%, reflecting the high stakes and deep polarization across the country As Poland moves forward, all eyes are on how this new balance of power will shape the nation’s domestic and foreign policy.
