Poland heads to runoff between pro-EU Trzaskowski and Eurosceptic Nawrocki
Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski narrowly led Poland's presidential election on May 18, according to exit polls, but failed to secure an outright victory. He will face conservative Karol Nawrocki in a second-round runoff on June 1.
Trzaskowski, a senior figure in Prime Minister Donald Tusk's Civic Platform (PO) party, won 30.8% of the vote, the exit poll showed, according to BBC. Nawrocki, a historian backed by the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party, came in second with 29.1%, setting the stage for a closely contested runoff as no candidate among the 13 contenders passed the 50% threshold.
Speaking to supporters at a rally in Sandomierz, southern Poland, Trzaskowski said: "We're going to win," but acknowledged that victory would require "a lot of work and great determination." He added, "I'm convinced that all Poland will win."
Trzaskowski has pledged to work with Tusk's coalition government to liberalize Poland's strict abortion laws and to push forward long-stalled judicial reforms, which were previously blocked under the PiS-led government.
Despite leading the polls in the lead-up to the vote, Trzaskowski underperformed expectations, which had placed him 4–6 points ahead of Nawrocki, according to BBC. His campaign now faces the challenge of consolidating centrist and center-left support, including from junior coalition parties such as the Left and the conservative Third Way.
Nawrocki, relatively unknown nationally before being endorsed by the PiS party, has seen his profile rise throughout the campaign. Addressing his supporters in Gdansk, he warned that Tusk must be stopped from gaining "total power in Poland." He urged voters who backed far-right candidates Slawomir Mentzen (15.4%) and Grzegorz Braun (6.2%) to rally behind him in the second round to "save Poland" from Tusk's influence.
While Poland's presidency is largely ceremonial, the role carries veto power. With Tusk's coalition lacking the parliamentary majority to override a presidential veto, the outcome of the runoff will determine whether the government can move forward with key reforms.
Read also: Nicusor Dan wins Romanian presidential election, defeating anti-Ukraine Simion
We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
32 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Senate Republicans revise ban on state AI regulations in bid to preserve controversial provision
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans have made changes to their party's sweeping tax bill in hopes of preserving a new policy that would prevent states from regulating artificial intelligence for a decade. In legislative text unveiled Thursday night, Senate Republicans proposed denying states federal funding for broadband projects if they regulate AI. That's a change from a provision in the House-passed version of the tax overhaul that simply banned any current or future AI regulations by the states for 10 years. 'These provisions fulfill the mandate given to President Trump and Congressional Republicans by the voters: to unleash America's full economic potential and keep her safe from enemies,' Sen. Ted Cruz, chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, said in a statement announcing the changes. The proposed ban has angered state lawmakers in Democratic and Republican-led states and alarmed some digital safety advocates concerned about how AI will develop as the technology rapidly advances. But leading AI executives, including OpenAI's Sam Altman, have made the case to senators that a 'patchwork' of state AI regulations would cripple innovation. Some House Republicans are also uneasy with the provision. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., came out against the AI regulatory moratorium in the House bill after voting for it. She said she had not read that section of the bill. 'We should be reducing federal power and preserving state power. Not the other way around,' Greene wrote on social media. Senate Republicans made their change in an attempt to follow the special process being used to pass the tax bill with a simple majority vote. To comply with those rules, any provision needs to deal primarily with the federal budget and not government policy. Republican leaders argue, essentially, that by setting conditions for states to receive certain federal appropriations — in this instance, funding for broadband internet infrastructure — they would meet the Senate's standard for using a majority vote. Cruz told reporters Thursday that he will make his case next week to Senate parliamentarian on why the revised ban satisfies the rules. The parliamentarian is the chamber's advisor on its proper rules and procedures. While the parliamentarian's ruling are not binding, senators of both parties have adhered to their findings in the past. Senators generally argue that Congress should take the lead on regulating AI but so far the two parties have been unable to broker a deal that is acceptable to Republicans' and Democrats' divergent concerns. The GOP legislation also includes significant changes to how the federal government auctions commercial spectrum ranges. Those new provisions expand the range of spectrum available for commercial use, an issue that has divided lawmakers over how to balance questions of national security alongside providing telecommunications firms access to more frequencies for commercial wireless use. Senators are aiming to pass the tax package, which extends the 2017 rate cuts and other breaks from President Donald Trump's first term along with new tax breaks and steep cuts to social programs, later this month.
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Dr. Michael Lomax, Present and CEO of UNCF Issues Statement on Recent Antisemitic Attacks
'We are resolute in our commitment to build a world where dignity and humanity prevail, knowing that when we fail to speak for others, we risk a future where no one is left to speak for us' WASHINGTON, DC, June 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Dr. Michael L. Lomax, President and CEO of UNCF issued the following statement condemning the recent acts of anti-Semitic violence and reaffirming UNCF's unwavering commitment to standing against hatred in all its forms. 'In recent days, two acts of violence have struck at the heart of the Jewish community, stark reminders that hatred remains alive among us. In Washington, DC, a Jewish American woman and her Israeli fiancé were horrifically murdered as they left a reception at the Jewish Museum. In Boulder, Colorado, Molotov cocktails were thrown during a peaceful protest calling for the release of hostages held in Gaza. The intent of both violent incidents was clear: to sow fear, to spark terror, and to remind us that hatred, left unchecked, smolders and burns. As Black Americans, this flame is painfully familiar. We have seen it before, in the torches carried through darkened streets, in the crosses set ablaze on front lawns, and in the midnight knocks that tore fathers, mothers, and children from their homes. It is a hatred we know well, clothed in different garb but fueled by the same malevolent fire. The violence inflicted on Jewish Americans today echoes the terror that gripped Black communities during the Jim Crow era. Out of those long nights of fear, bonds were forged in the crucible of shared struggle. The relationship between the Black and Jewish communities was built on common purpose. It was Jewish brothers and sisters who marched with us in Selma, who stood with us in Birmingham, who bled beside us for civil rights. It was their pens that helped write the anthems of our movement and their moral clarity that strengthened our resolve. Today, as we confront this resurgent wave of anti-Semitism, we are reminded that the hatred that targets one of us threatens all of us. The same bigotry that demonizes the Jewish people fuels anti-Black racism, anti-LGBTQ animus, and every form of dehumanization that corrodes the soul of our nation. History teaches us that silence in the face of hatred is complicity. Our shared history teaches us that progress has always come when we stand together and raise our voices. At UNCF, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to stand against all forms of hatred. We are proud of the bridges built between the Black and Jewish communities, partnerships rooted in resilience and a common dream of freedom. We stand with our Jewish brothers and sisters, not as newly minted allies, but as partners bound by a shared legacy of resilience and a shared dream of liberation. As we raise our voices against the unresolved hatreds that linger from our past, we stand arm in arm, heart to heart, not just as witnesses to injustice but as architects of a future rooted in justice and love. We are resolute in our commitment to build a world where dignity and humanity prevail, knowing that when we fail to speak for others, we risk a future where no one is left to speak for us.' ### About UNCFUNCF is one of the nation's largest and most effective supporters of higher education and serves as a leading advocate for college-bound students. Since its founding in 1944, UNCF has raised more than $6 billion to support students' access to higher education, provide scholarships and strengthen historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Each year, UNCF supports more than 50,000 students at more than 1,100 colleges and universities across the country including 37 UNCF-member HBCUs. Through its efforts, UNCF has helped generations of students to get to and through college. We believe a college education plays a vital role in fortifying the pipeline of leaders and professionals who contribute to the advancement of our society. Our logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and our widely recognized trademark is, 'A mind is a terrible thing to waste.'® Learn more at or for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on Instagram. CONTACT: Roy Betts UNCF 240.703.3384
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Mark Cuban backs Musk's poll on a new political party as investors react to tech billionaire's feud with Trump
As the Donald Trump-Elon Musk axis disintegrated spectacularly on Thursday, billionaires and investors were among the many who were transfixed by the public spat. During the melee, Musk posted a poll on X asking if it was time to create a new political party, drawing an endorsement from Mark Cuban, who has previously eyed a third party as well. During the heat of battle as Elon Musk publicly feuded with President Donald Trump on Thursday, the tech billionaire posted a poll on his social media platform X asking if it's time for a new political party. That drew an endorsement from fellow billionaire Mark Cuban, who reposted the poll and added three check marks. Entrepreneur Andrew Yang, who ran for president in 2020 and later cofounded the Forward Party, reposted Cuban and then floated a notional 2028 presidential primary that includes Cuban, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon as well as other names like Matthew McConaughey and Oprah Winfrey. Cuban was a top surrogate for then-Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 campaign but has flirted with third-party politics, though he has yet to run for office. In 2020, Cuban revealed he seriously considered running for president as an independent and even hired a pollster, but said he had long odds and his family was against the idea. Last year, Cuban confirmed he had past conversations with No Labels, a bipartisan group that sought ballot access for a third-party presidential campaign. He decided against a White House run, citing his family again, but told NBC News at the time, 'I think the 2 party system is broken.' While Cuban and Musk were on opposite ends of the 2024 race, the Shark Tank star was among the first to admit defeat on election night in November and even congratulated Musk. To be sure, Cuban has continued to speak out against Trump's policies, but said in February he has no plans to make his own political run in the near future, telling an audience of anti-Trump conservatives, 'Hell no. It's not going to happen.' Meanwhile, other billionaires and investors weighed on in the Musk-Trump spat. Pershing Square CEO Bill Ackman posted on X that he supports both men and that 'they should make peace for the benefit of our great country. We are much stronger together than apart.' And longtime Tesla investor Ross Gerber lamented Thursday that shareholders had seen $140 billion in market cap wiped out as the stock sold off, nearly matching what Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) claimed to save the federal government in cuts. On Friday, Gerber said on X Trump is vindictive and forget when he's been slighted. 'This doesn't get solved other than Elon groveling back and publicly apologizing,' he added. This story was originally featured on
