Poland vote: Pro-EU Trzaskowski wins first round – DW – 05/19/2025
05/19/2025
May 19, 2025 Official results show narrow win for pro-EU candidate Trzaskowski
Warsaw's pro-EU mayor Rafal Trzaskowski narrowly came out on top in the first round of voting in Poland'spresidential election.
With all ballots counted, Trzaskowski won 31.36% of the vote. His main opponent, national-conservative candidate Karol Nawrocki, came in at 29.54, the national election commission said Monday.
With less than 2 percentage points separating the front runners, a runoff vote is set for June 1.
A key factor for round two could be voters who supported far-right candidates that were eliminated in the first round. However, the two far-right candidates had a strong showing, receiving a combined 21.15%.
Trzaskowski is from Prime Minister Donald Tusk's centrist Civic Coalition, and a win would allow Tusk more space to push his EU-friendly reform agenda that has been held up by the current nationalist president.
The opposition, the right-wing Law and Justice party (PiS) of current President Andrzej Duda is backing Nawrocki.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Int'l Business Times
an hour ago
- Int'l Business Times
Assange Joins Pro-Palestinian Protest On Sydney Harbour Bridge
Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters including WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange marched across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Sunday, closing the world famous landmark. Assange, who returned to Australia last year after his release from a high-security British prison, was pictured surrounded by family and marching alongside former Australian foreign minister and New South Wales premier Bob Carr. France, Britain and Canada have in recent weeks voiced, in some cases qualified, intentions to diplomatically recognise a Palestinian state as international concern and criticism have grown over malnutrition in Gaza. Australia has called for an end to the war in Gaza but has so far stopped short of a decision to recognise a Palestinian state. But in a joint statement with more than a dozen other nations on Tuesday it expressed the "willingness or the positive consideration... to recognise the state of Palestine as an essential step towards the two-State solution". The pro-Palestinian crowd braved heavy winds and rain to march across the bridge, chanting "ceasefire now" and "free Palestine". New South Wales police said it had deployed hundreds of extra staff across Sydney for the march. Mehreen Faruqi, the New South Wales senator for the left-wing Greens party, told the crowd gathered at central Sydney's Lang Park that the march would "make history". She called for the "harshest sanctions on Israel", accusing its forces of "massacring" Gazans, and criticised New South Wales premier Chris Minns for saying the protest should not go ahead. Dozens of marchers held up banners listing the names of thousands of Palestinian children killed since the Gaza war broke out after an October 2023 attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas. Labor backbench MP Ed Husic attended the march and called for his ruling party, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, to recognise a Palestinian state. Assange did not address the crowd or talk to the media. Israel is under mounting international pressure to end the bloodshed that has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry. Hamas's 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to a tally based on official figures. Of the 251 hostages taken during the attack, 49 are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. The Harbour Bridge is over a kilometre long and was opened in 1932. Since then its twin parabolic arcs have become world famous, a symbol of both Sydney and of Australia. WkikLeaks founder Julian Assange (L) and former Australian minister for foreign affairs Bob Carr (R) chat during a pro-Palestinian rally against Israel's actions and the ongoing food shortages in the Gaza Strip, in Sydney on August 3, 2025. AFP
DW
19 hours ago
- DW
Inside the EU's stalled plan to penalize Israel – DW – 08/02/2025
For the first time ever, EU officials have threatened to restrict Israeli access to research funds over its conduct in Gaza. But the move is still under review, and many say it is too little, too late as famine looms. Something changed in Brussels over the last few days: After more than a year and a half of urging Israel to end bombardments and blockades of Gaza, the EU took a step toward backing its words with action. "The mood has hardened significantly," one EU diplomat who asked not to be named told DW. With the United Nations warning of a "grave risk of famine" in Gaza, the EU's executive — for the first time — has proposed penalizing Israel by barring Israeli startups from accessing some EU research funds. "With its intervention in the Gaza Strip and the ensuing humanitarian catastrophe, including thousands of civilian deaths and rapidly rising numbers of spreading extreme malnutrition specifically of children, Israel is violating human rights and humanitarian law and thus is in breach of an essential principle of ... EU-Israel cooperation," the European Commission wrote in its proposal on Monday. But the plan isn't over the line yet. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The new proposal hit a hurdle immediately after reached the EU's 27 capitals. Some states, including Germany, were asking for more time to asses the plan, EU diplomats told DW. And without Berlin's backing, the plan is unlikely to advance. On Monday, Israel's Foreign Ministry called Brussels' proposal "unjustified" and claimed any such punitive measures would only serve to "strengthen Hamas." Oxfam's Bushra Khalidi told DW there is now "clearly growing pressure within some pockets of the [EU] Commission, backed by some EU countries, to shift course" toward taking action on Israel. "But let's be clear," she added. "The fact that the EU cannot even agree on the smallest step is a disgrace. The bar is on the floor, and yet the EU and some EU countries are still managing to trip over it." Ever since the militant group's attacks on October 7, 2023, the EU has been united in its condemnation of Hamas — classed as a terrorist organization by the bloc — and in its call for the release of Israeli hostages. Beyond that, however, every statement on the EU's ties with Israel has been fiercely debated across a deeply divided bloc. On one end of the spectrum, there are countries like Spain and Ireland. Since February 2024, Madrid and Dublin have been calling for an "urgent review" into Israeli compliance with the agreement that governs its trade and relations with the EU. On the other end, Hungary is seen as Israel's staunchest EU ally, and has been blocking any measures requiring bloc-wide backing. This includes sanctions on a handful of violent Israeli settlers — in contrast to the UK, an ex-EU member, which approved a similar measure months ago. Berlin has also been seen as a strong Israeli ally. Germany views itself as having a historic responsibility toward Israeli security, due to its Nazi past and its systemic murder of six million Jews during the Holocaust. While the EU remains divided on Israel, first signs of a diplomatic shift came in May of this year, when most of the bloc's 27 members backed Spain and Ireland's year-and-a-half old call to review Israel's compliance with the EU association agreement. The Netherlands was among countries which switched camps and prompted the turning point. Germany stuck to its position and warned against the review, urging dialogue instead. However, Berlin was overruled and the investigation went ahead. The review pointed to a series of suspected Israeli breaches, from blocking aid entry to Gaza and attacking hospitals and journalists, to expanding illegal settlements. In a letter seen by DW, Israel blasted the review as a "moral and methodological failure," claiming the UN reports the review was based on were "anything but impartial." But the EU executive stood by its findings and in June, most EU states asked the bloc's officials to draw up a list of possible punitive measures. According to a leaked internal document seen by DW, that list includes halting visa-free travel for Israeli citizens, restricting student exchanges, banning imports from illegal settlements, and sanctioning some Israeli ministers. Some of the measures — such as sanctions — would require unanimous EU support. Others — such as trade restrictions — only require a rubber-stamp from a weighted majority of EU governments. However, even those measures would need to be endorsed from at least a few of the EU's most populous states — Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Poland. Armed with these potential options, the EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas held talks with her Israeli counterpart — and announced what seemed like a breakthrough just days before EU ministers were due to discuss punitive measures. "Significant steps have been agreed by Israel to improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip," Kallas said in a statement on July 10. Germany also helped broker the so-called "common understanding." EU officials said Israel's commitments included facilitating a "substantial increase" in trucks entering Gaza and reopening some aid routes. When EU ministers met on July 15, they decided not to advance any steps against Israel, instead asking for regular reports on its compliance with the new deal. Israel's foreign minister called that outcome "an important diplomatic success." "We managed to fend off all types of obsessive attempts by several countries to impose sanctions on Israel in the EU," Gideon Sa'ar wrote on X later that day. But as the month of July went on and warnings of starvation mounted, Brussels' diplomacy option looked less and less effective. "There has been some progress," the EU's humanitarian aid chief Hadja Lahbib said on Friday in a post on X. "But let's be honest: it's still a drop in the ocean. Without access, we cannot properly assess needs or deliver aid." The Israeli government told DW it has "begun implementing significant measures to facilitate humanitarian aid," including "humanitarian pauses," and designating "secure routes" for food delivery. The statement blames the UN and Hamas for the crisis and claims there is "no starvation" in Gaza — despite aid groups' evidence to the contrary. But most European governments say Israeli measures fall far short. Some states including Sweden, the Netherlands and Spain are now openly calling for the EU to go much further and freeze its trade deal with Israel. That would make it more expensive and difficult for Israeli firms to export goods to the EU — Israel's biggest trading partner. "The situation in Gaza is utterly deplorable, and Israel is not fulfilling its most basic obligations and agreed-upon commitments regarding humanitarian aid," Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson wrote on X on Thursday. "Economic pressure on Israel must increase," he added. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Restricting trade is a power that lies with the EU's executive in Brussels, meaning national governments can't take matters into their own hands. But individual EU states have taken other decisions to pile pressure on Benjamin Netanyahu's government. Several countries including Spain and Belgium have restricted arms exports to Israel. And with EU-level sanctions looking unlikely, Slovenia and the Netherlands have also banned two far-right Israeli ministers from entering their territory earlier this month, accusing them of promoting "ethnic cleansing." In a visit to Israel on Thursday, Germany's foreign minister warned his Israeli counterpart that he risked isolation. Capitals across Europe watched the visit carefully — because any shift in Germany's approach could determine whether planned EU penalties will kick in, or remain an empty threat.
DW
2 days ago
- DW
EU court questions Italy's 'safe country' list for migrants – DW – 08/01/2025
While ruling Italy's plan to fast-track migrant deportations is legal, the European Court of Justice set out some limits. Those include disclosing sources for their assessment of a country being considered "safe." Judges at the European Union's top court ruled Friday that Italy can fast-track deportations of migrants to countries it designates as "safe" if it meets certain conditions. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) was asked if an accelerated asylum procedure, allowing officials to quickly return migrants from countries not facing war or significant crises, was permissible. EU countries are allowed to designate safe countries of origin to fast-track asylum procedures if authorities disclose the sources for their assessment, the court ruled. "The sources of information on which such a designation is based must be sufficiently accessible, both for the applicant and for the court or tribunal having jurisdiction," the EU's top court wrote. A second condition stipulated by the court is that a state can only be designated as a safe country of origin if it offers adequate protection to the entire population, including minorities. The Luxembourg-based court also said that while having a fast-track procedure does not violate EU law, the designation of safe countries must be subject to judicial scrutiny so migrants can challenge decisions made on their asylum claims. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticized the ECJ's ruling on the classification of safe countries of origin. She said the decision further restricted the already limited room for manoeuvre of governments. "This is a step that should worry everyone," Meloni said. "The court's decision weakens the policy to combat illegal mass immigration and to protect national borders." Two Bangladeshi nationals, who were rescued at sea last year by the Italian navy, were taken to a detention center in Albania. As Bangladesh is on a list of countries Italy considers safe, their claim for asylum was given a speedy assessment before being rejected. However, an Italian court held last year that migrants from Bangladesh and Egypt could not be immediately returned because those countries are not safe enough. Judges at the Rome District Court, which referred the case to Luxembourg, will have the final say in determining whether the procedure was correctly applied for the two Bangladeshi nationals. The fast-track process and detaining migrants at facilities in Albania were introduced by Meloni's government in an effort to curb the number of migrants entering the country. Both policies have faced intense criticism. Italian courts have ruled against the policies and referred several cases to the EU's top court in Luxembourg for clarification. Opposition politicians argue that the scheme is expensive, complicated, and detrimental to migrants' rights. A non-governmental delegation observing the process in Albania says it illegally deprives migrants of assistance with asylum claims.
