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First Post
4 hours ago
- Politics
- First Post
Poland at polls in tight presidential election: What's at stake in vote between pro-EU, nationalist visions?
A victory for Rafal Trzaskowski, 53 of the centrist Civic Platform party would deepen Poland's integration with EU, ease the near total abortion ban and bolster LGBTQ+ rights. In contrast, Karol Nawrocki, 42, is a nationalist who appeals to traditional, Catholic voters. His focus is on stricter curbs on immigration read more This combination of photos shows Rafal Trzaskowski, left, in Warsaw, and Karol Nawrocki, right, in Warsaw, Poland. File image/ AP Voters in Poland went to the polls on Sunday (June 1) in a high-stakes presidential election that pits two sharply contrasting visions for the country's future- one rooted in pro-European Union liberalism, the other in nationalist conservatism. The outcome could significantly influence Poland's stance within the EU, its domestic social policies, and its position on the war in Ukraine. With polls showing a dead heat between Rafal Trzaskowski, the pro-EU mayor of Warsaw and ally of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and Karol Nawrocki, a right-wing historian backed by the conservative opposition, the election is being watched closely both at home and abroad. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Rafal Trzaskowski, 53, represents the centrist Civic Platform party and has campaigned on a progressive, pro-European platform. A victory for him would bolster the reformist agenda of Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government and open the door to significant changes such as: Legalising civil partnerships for same-sex couples Easing the near-total abortion ban Deepening Poland's integration within the EU Trzaskowski is seen by supporters as internationally respected, liberal-minded, and committed to restoring democratic norms. 'He's educated, speaks many languages, is intelligent, just all round great,' said Agnieszka Lewinska, a 56-year-old voter near Warsaw. In contrast, Karol Nawrocki, 42, is a nationalist who appeals to traditional, Catholic voters and has the backing of the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, which ruled Poland from 2015 to 2023. His platform emphasises: National sovereignty over EU integration Stricter curbs on immigration and refugee benefits Reinforcing Catholic values and conservative policies Supporters like Lila Chojecka, a 60-year-old pensioner in Warsaw, say Nawrocki represents 'hope for Poland' and a return to 'Catholic values.' Why does this election matter beyond Poland? The result will have significant implications for the European Union, NATO, and Ukraine. Poland is a key EU member and one of NATO's most active supporters of Ukraine. Trzaskowski supports continued military and humanitarian aid to Kyiv and aligns closely with Brussels on foreign and security policy. Nawrocki, however, has voiced skepticism about expanding NATO to include Ukraine and opposes offering long-term social benefits to the more than one million Ukrainian refugees in Poland. In his final campaign appearance, he visited a memorial for Poles killed by Ukrainian nationalists during World War II, calling it 'a genocide against the Polish people.' For Ukraine, the result may shape Poland's future support as the war with Russia drags on and Kyiv seeks greater diplomatic backing. Domestically, the Polish presidency holds the power to veto legislation and command the armed forces, making it a key check, or enabler, of the ruling government's agenda. With 336 electoral districts and nearly 38 million people, Poland's presidential race is expected to be decided by narrow margins. The far-right, which earned over 21 per cent in the first round, could swing the final result, especially if its voters rally behind Nawrocki. Trzaskowski edged ahead in the first round with 31 per cent of the vote, just one point above Nawrocki's 30 per cent. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Exit polls are expected shortly after voting ends at 9:00 pm local time (1900 GMT), with final results due by Monday. The election, described by political analyst Anna Materska-Sosnowska as a 'real clash of civilisations,' will set the course for Poland's political and social identity for years to come.
New York Times
12 hours ago
- Business
- New York Times
A Close Polish Election Is a Bellwether for Populists
Poland votes on Sunday in a tight runoff vote for the presidency. It is a largely ceremonial post, but its veto powers have made the election of vital importance to Prime Minister Donald Tusk and to his centrist government, which is still trying to reverse the legacy of its hard-right predecessor. The most populous economic and military power on the European Union's eastern flank, Poland plays an important role as a bellwether. Its election is being closely watched as a sign of whether populist nationalism is a rising or receding force on the continent. The two candidates represent starkly different political outlooks: Rafal Trzaskowski, 53, is the liberal, multilingual mayor of Warsaw and the son of a prominent jazz musician. Karol Nawrocki, 42, is a nationalist historian and former boxer. Mr. Trzaskowski is supported by Mr. Tusk's party, Civic Platform, and, if elected, would work closely with his government. Mr. Nawrocki, a political novice, is hostile to Mr. Tusk and is backed by Poland's previous governing party, Law and Justice. If elected, Mr. Nawrocki would most likely use the powers of the presidency to block Mr. Tusk's agenda, as the departing president, Andrzej Duda, has. He was able to obstruct it by vetoing legislation passed by Parliament or referring it for review by courts stacked with Law and Justice appointees. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Boston Globe
a day ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
In Poland, presidential hopefuls battle for young voters who don't like them
In a first round of voting on May 18, voters aged 18 to 29 overwhelmingly supported antiestablishment candidates who failed to make it to the runoff. They mostly shunned the candidates competing Sunday, who represent Poland's two dominant political parties -- Civic Platform, led by Tusk; and Law and Justice, the former governing party led by Jaroslaw Kaczynski. The runoff pits Rafal Trzaskowski, the liberal mayor of Warsaw who is backed by Tusk's party, against Karol Nawrocki, a nationalist historian and former boxer supported by Law and Justice. Advertisement Coming only two weeks after a presidential election in Romania in which voters chose a centrist over a hard-right admirer of President Trump, Poland's vote is being closely watched in Europe and the United States as a test of right-wing populism's staying power. 'Don't let the globalists and unelected bureaucrats steal your elections, as they did in Romania,' George Simion, the defeated hard-right candidate in Romania, told a gathering in Poland this past week of the American Conservative Political Action Conference. Kristi Noem, Trump's homeland security secretary who also spoke at the event, endorsed the Law and Justice candidate. Advertisement What American and European fans of Trump see as a climactic battle between left and right is seen by many young Polish voters as an infuriating rerun of a decades-old struggle. 'You only get angry looking at system politicians,' said Jan Stachura, 20, a student in Tychy, a town in Poland's former industrial heartland in the southwestern region of Silesia. He said he had voted for neither of Sunday's contenders in the first round on May 18 and did not know whether he would even bother to vote in the runoff. His brother, Wojciech, 24, an IT manager, said he did not vote in the first round and probably would not on Sunday. Given the grip of the two main parties, he said, 'I don't believe my vote can change anything.' Tusk, 68, and Kaczynski, 75, first entered politics more than 40 years ago when Poland was still a Soviet satellite. After Poland joined the European Union in 2004 -- 15 years after communism collapsed -- they emerged as leaders of two hostile camps: one committed to embracing the values and rules of the European Union, the other infused with nationalism and fealty to the Roman Catholic Church. They have rotated in and out of power since, leaving Polish politics in a repetitive loop. Kaczynski accuses Tusk of being a 'German agent' more interested in serving Berlin and Brussels than ordinary Poles. Tusk has attacked his rival as a populist reactionary intent on dismantling democracy and withdrawing Poland from the European Union. Advertisement Trzaskowski won the first round barely ahead of Nawrocki. Whether Trzaskowski can prevail on Sunday depends heavily on how young voters who backed the far right and leftists in the first round cast their ballots. A widespread plague-on-both-your-houses feeling among younger Poles has brought unusual volatility to politics, said Tomasz Slupik, a political-science professor at the University of Silesia. Only 22 percent of voters under 30, according to exit poll data, cast their ballots in the first round for the two candidates competing on Sunday. Nearly 70 percent voted instead for far-right candidates and fringe leftists, with more than half of them supporting Slawomir Mentzen, a libertarian who is hostile to Ukrainian refugees, taxes, and the European Union. 'This might be the beginning of the end of Poland's party duopoly,' Slupik said. Young voters' disillusionment, he added, was partly the rebellious spirit of youth amplified by social media. But, he added, it also reflected a deeper erosion of trust across generations, despite Poland's booming economy and its emergence as a diplomatic and military player in Europe. The Polish presidency has no say in setting policy, but its veto power over legislation passed by the government allowed the departing president, Andrzej Duda, an ally of Kaczynski, to thwart much of Tusk's agenda. Victory for Nawrocki on Sunday would probably mean more trench warfare between the rival camps, hobbling Tusk's ability to govern and clouding his party's prospects in the next parliamentary election in 2027. Speaking at a rally for Trzaskowski in Warsaw last weekend, Tusk warned this would bring disaster, describing Nawrocki as a 'gangster' unfit for the presidency. 'Poland, wake up! This cannot be!' he said. Advertisement Anna Liebner, 29, a Tychy resident who manages fiber optic networks, said she voted in the first round for Adrian Zandberg, a leftist who came in sixth in the first round. Liebner liked some of his policy ideas, including higher taxes on the wealthy. Kamil Poczta, 30, an IT worker, said he, too, had voted for Zandberg in the hope of breaking the Civic Platform-Law and Justice cycle. Nonetheless, Poczta and Liebner both said they would vote for Trzaskowski. More uncertain is which way Mentzen's voters, mostly young men, will jump, though a recent opinion poll indicated that around 65 percent of them would vote for Nawrocki. If that turns out to be accurate, Nawrocki could well win. This article originally appeared in
a day ago
- Politics
Poland holds a pivotal presidential runoff influenced by Trump, the far right and the war in Ukraine
WARSAW, Poland -- Poland is set to hold a presidential runoff election on Sunday between two candidates offering starkly different visions for the country's future. The winner will succeed President Andrzej Duda, a conservative who is finishing his second and final term. The outcome will determine whether Poland embraces a nationalist populist trajectory or pivots more fully toward liberal, pro-European policies. An exit poll by Ipsos will be released when polls close on Sunday at 9 p.m. local time, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points. Final results are expected Monday. Whoever wins can be expected to either help or hinder the agenda of the centrist government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk thanks to the presidential power to veto laws. The vote comes amid heightened regional tensions driven by Russia's war in neighboring Ukraine, security concerns across Europe and internal debates about the rule of law. It follows a first round on May 18, in which Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski won more than 31% of the vote and Karol Nawrocki, a conservative historian, earned nearly 30%. Eleven other candidates were eliminated. Opinion polls show the two men running neck and neck. Other factors add to the unpredictability. Nawrocki did much better in the first round than surveys had predicted, indicating that his strength was underestimated. On the other hand, large numbers of Poles abroad have registered to vote in the second round, which could help Trzaskowski. Nawrocki is a 42-year-old historian who was tapped as by the national conservative Law and Justice party despite a lack of political experience or party membership. But this is seen as acting in his favor, as the party, which governed for 2015-2023, seeks to refresh its image before a parliamentary election in 2027. Nawrocki's supporters describe him as the embodiment of traditional, patriotic Polish values. They believe U.S. President Donald Trump's support for him will strengthen Poland's ties with the United States and make the country safer. Trzaskowski, 53, is Warsaw's mayor and a close ally of Tusk. A deputy leader of Civic Platform, a pro-European Union party, he has been prominent in national politics for years. This is his second presidential bid after narrowly losing to Duda in 2020. Supporters credit him with modernizing Warsaw through infrastructure, public transit expansion and cultural investments. He is widely seen as pragmatic and focused on strengthening ties with other European nations. Nawrocki recently received a boost from Trump and other U.S. conservatives, who see the Polish election as part of a global battle between liberal and populist right-wing forces. His campaign has echoed themes popular on the American right, including skepticism toward EU bureaucracy and emphasis on Christian identity. His supporters feel that Trzaskowski, with his pro-EU views, would hand over control of key Polish issues to Paris and Berlin. Nawrocki also has been endorsed by the Trump administration and conservative Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Many European centrists are rooting for Trzaskowski, seeing in him someone who would defend democracy as it faces pressure from authoritarian forces across the globe. He has received the support of new centrist Romanian President Nicusor Dan — who recently defeated a far-right nationalist. Nawrocki has faced a number of scandals over the past months, but it's not clear that they are hurting him. In fact, they might have the opposite effect. Many right-wing voters don't believe the allegations and accuse the media of using its power to hurt him, creating what appears to be a rallying effect around him. Nawrocki himself has acknowledged that he took part in an organized brawl including football hooligans in 2009. A former boxer, he said he has taken part in various forms of 'noble male battle' in his life. Polish media have also reported on his connections to gangsters and the world of prostitution. Tusk accused Law and Justice party leader Jarosław Kaczynski of tapping Nawrocki despite questions about his past. 'You knew about everything, Jarosław. About the connections with the gangsters, about 'fixing girls,'" Tusk wrote on X. "The entire responsibility for this catastrophe falls on you!' 1. Security and war in Ukraine: With Russia's war in Ukraine in its fourth year, Polish voters are acutely attuned to issues of regional security. Both candidates support continued backing for Ukraine, but to different degrees. Nawrocki believes that Ukraine should never join NATO, while Trzaskowski believes Ukraine should be allowed to join one day when the current war is over. 2. Rule of law and democracy: Trzaskowski has pledged to support the restoration of judicial independence and repair relations with the EU, which viewed changes by Law and Justice as anti-democratic. Tusk has tried to change some legislation, but has faced resistance from the the outgoing president, Duda. Nawrocki, while less outspoken than his party patrons, is seen as likely to preserve Law and Justice's changes that politicized the courts. 3. Women's rights: Abortion remains a divisive issue in Poland, especially after a near-total ban was imposed under Law and Justice. Trzaskowski supports loosening restrictions and has backed proposals to legalize abortion up to 12 weeks. Nawrocki opposes any liberalization and has campaigned as a defender of traditional conservative values.
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Poland to hold pivotal presidential runoff influenced by Trump, far right and war in Ukraine
WARSAW: Poland is set to hold a presidential runoff election on Sunday between two candidates offering starkly different visions for the country's future. The winner will succeed President Andrzej Duda, a conservative who is finishing his second and final term. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The outcome will determine whether Poland embraces a nationalist populist trajectory or pivots more fully toward liberal, pro-European policies. An exit poll by Ipsos will be released when polls close on Sunday at 9 pm local time, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points. Final results are expected on Monday. Whoever wins can be expected to either help or hinder the agenda of the centrist government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, thanks to the presidential power to veto laws. An unpredictable vote at a time of tensions The vote comes amid heightened regional tensions driven by Russia's war in neighbouring Ukraine, security concerns across Europe and internal debates about the rule of law. It follows a first round on May 18, in which Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski won more than 31% of the vote and Karol Nawrocki, a conservative historian, earned nearly 30%. Eleven other candidates were eliminated. Opinion polls show the two men running neck and neck. Other factors add to the unpredictability. Nawrocki did much better in the first round than surveys had predicted, indicating that his strength was underestimated. On the other hand, large numbers of Poles abroad have registered to vote in the second round, which could help Trzaskowski. The candidates Nawrocki is a 42-year-old historian who was tapped as by the national conservative Law and Justice party despite a lack of political experience or party membership. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now But this is seen as acting in his favor, as the party, which governed for 2015-2023, seeks to refresh its image before a parliamentary election in 2027. Nawrocki's supporters describe him as the embodiment of traditional, patriotic Polish values. They believe U.S. President Donald Trump's support for him will strengthen Poland's ties with the United States and make the country safer. Trzaskowski, 53, is Warsaw's mayor and a close ally of Tusk. A deputy leader of Civic Platform, a pro-European Union party, he has been prominent in national politics for years. This is his second presidential bid after narrowly losing to Duda in 2020. Supporters credit him with modernizing Warsaw through infrastructure, public transit expansion and cultural investments. He is widely seen as pragmatic and focused on strengthening ties with other European nations. A global ideological war Nawrocki recently received a boost from Trump and other US conservatives, who see the Polish election as part of a global battle between liberal and populist right-wing forces. His campaign has echoed themes popular on the American right, including skepticism toward EU bureaucracy and emphasis on Christian identity. His supporters feel that Trzaskowski, with his pro-EU views, would hand over control of key Polish issues to Paris and Berlin. Nawrocki also has been endorsed by the Trump administration and conservative Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Many European centrists are rooting for Trzaskowski, seeing in him someone who would defend democracy as it faces pressure from authoritarian forces across the globe. He has received the support of new centrist Romanian President Nicusor Dan - who recently defeated a far-right nationalist. Nawrocki's scandals Nawrocki has faced a number of scandals over the past months, but it's not clear that they are hurting him. In fact, they might have the opposite effect. Many right-wing voters don't believe the allegations and accuse the media of using its power to hurt him, creating what appears to be a rallying effect around him. Nawrocki himself has acknowledged that he took part in an organized brawl, including football hooligans in 2009. A former boxer, he said he has taken part in various forms of "noble male battle" in his life. Polish media have also reported on his connections to gangsters and the world of prostitution. T usk accused Law and Justice party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski of tapping Nawrocki despite questions about his past. "You knew about everything, Jaroslaw. About the connections with the gangsters, about fixing girls,'" Tusk wrote on X. "The entire responsibility for this catastrophe falls on you!" The key issues at stake 1. Security and war in Ukraine: With Russia's war in Ukraine in its fourth year, Polish voters are acutely attuned to issues of regional security. Both candidates support continued backing for Ukraine, but to different degrees. Nawrocki believes that Ukraine should never join NATO, while Trzaskowski believes Ukraine should be allowed to join one day when the current war is over. 2. Rule of law and democracy: Trzaskowski has pledged to support the restoration of judicial independence and repair relations with the EU, which viewed changes by Law and Justice as anti-democratic. Tusk has tried to change some legislation, but has faced resistance from the outgoing president, Duda. Nawrocki, while less outspoken than his party patrons, is seen as likely to preserve Law and Justice's changes that politicized the courts. 3. Women's rights: Abortion remains a divisive issue in Poland, especially after a near-total ban was imposed under Law and Justice. Trzaskowski supports loosening restrictions and has backed proposals to legalize abortion up to 12 weeks. Nawrocki opposes any liberalisation and has campaigned as a defender of traditional conservative values.
