Polls open in tight presidential runoff – DW

[ad_1] Skip next section Who are the candidates? 06/01/2025 June 1, 2025 Who're the candidates?

Polls present that the distinction between Rafal Trzaskowski (L) and Karol Nawrocki (R) is inside the margin of error Picture: Kacper Pempel/Lukasz Glowala/REUTERS Poland 's presidential runoff has boiled all the way down to a radically totally different ideological alternative: a pro-European liberal versus a staunch nationalist.

Rafal Trzaskowski is backed by the governing Civic Coalition occasion of Prime Minister Donald Tusk , a former European Council president. He was elected mayor of Warsaw in 2018 and re-elected in 2024.

A former deputy overseas minister, the 53-year-old has promised to melt Poland's near-total abortion ban and defend LGBTQ rights. His victory would enable Tusk to push forward together with his reformist agenda.

Rafal Trzaskowski speaks English, French, Italian, Russian and Spanish [FILE: May 29, 2025] Picture: Mikolaj Barbanell/SOPA/ZUMA/image alliance

In 2020, Trzaskowski narrowly misplaced his first presidential bid to incumbent Andrzej Duda, who is finishing his second and final term .

This time round, the race is anticipated to be even tighter. The Warsaw mayor is pitted towards Karol Nawrocki, a historian endorsed by Duda who has blocked a number of legal guidelines together with his veto energy.

The 42-year-old has positioned himself as a defender of conventional Polish values. He campaigned underneath the slogan "Poland first, Poles first".

Karol Nawrocki served because the director of the World Conflict II museum in Gdansk from 2017 to 2021 Picture: Beata Zawrzel/Anadolu/image alliance

Nawrocki, an admirer of US President Donald Trump, is skeptical of the EU. His win can be a significant enhance for the opposition Legislation and Justice occasion, which ruled Poland between 2015 and 2023.

His supporters need stricter curbs on immigration. Nawrocki has known as for border controls with Germany to maintain out migrants.

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Skip next section Polls open as voting gets underway 06/01/2025 June 1, 2025 Polls open as voting will get underway

The results of the vote may have main implications for Poland's political future and its function within the EU Picture: Sergei Gapon/AFP Polling stations have opened throughout Poland in the intently fought presidential runoff.

It follows a primary spherical on Might 18, wherein Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski received by a razor-thin margin. Trzaskowski earned simply over 31% towards almost 30% for Karol Nawrocki, a conservative historian. Eleven different candidates had been eradicated.

Voting will finish at 9:00 pm (1900 GMT) when exit polls are anticipated to come back out. Last outcomes are more likely to be introduced on Monday.

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Skip next section WATCH — What's at stake in Poland's presidential election? 06/01/2025 June 1, 2025 WATCH — What's at stake in Poland's presidential election? DW Brussels bureau chief Alexandra von Nahmen explains how the end result will decide whether or not Poland embraces a nationalist path or pivots to extra pro-EU insurance policies.

As a result of presidential energy to veto legal guidelines, the winner might make or break the agenda of the centrist authorities of Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Poland holds a pivotal presidential runoff To view this video please allow JavaScript, and contemplate upgrading to an internet browser that supports HTML5 video

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Skip next section Presidential runoff in Poland: Why every vote matters 06/01/2025 June 1, 2025 Presidential runoff in Poland: Why each vote issues Agnieszka Hreczuk

Rafal Trzaskowski or Karol Nawrocki? Opinion polls see each remaining candidates neck-and-neck within the runoff.

To many Polish voters, the Sunday's election is just not a lot about who they need, however who they do not wish to see in workplace.

Read more on what's at stake in Poland's presidential election.

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Skip next section Welcome to DW's coverage of the 2025 Poland presidential election 06/01/2025 June 1, 2025 Welcome to DW's protection of the 2025 Poland presidential election Poland will go to the polls right now to vote in a runoff presidential election between two candidates with starkly totally different visions for the nation.

Voters will select between pro-EU Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, backed by Prime MMinister Donald Tusk , and conservative nationalist Karol Nawrocki, supported by the opposition Legislation and Justice occasion.