Latest news with #PiS
Yahoo
an hour ago
- General
- Yahoo
Karol Nawrocki: Polish historian with problematic past
Independent conservative Karol Nawrocki is an historian who has never held public office and is now running for the Polish presidency. That could help the 42-year-old candidate for the conservative nationalist Law and Justice party (PiS) in a country tired of political manoeuvring - and the motivation behind PiS head Jarosław Kaczyński's decision to push his nomination. Nawrocki meets all his mentor's criteria: young, tall, imposing, versed in foreign languages and a family man with two children. As head of the Institute of National Remembrance tasked with evaluating the country's complex recent past, he ordered Soviet memorials to be destroyed following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, exploiting the move in the media and incurring the wrath of the Kremlin. His upbringing in a working class area in Gdansk, his successful career in amateur boxing and his work as a nightclub bouncer while a student are pluses with many voters. Less so his alleged links to prostitution dating back to that time. Nawrocki represents the national-conservative and populist policies of the PiS, which ruled Poland from 2015 to 2023. He aims to maintain traditional Polish values and cautions against transferring powers to the EU. In all of this he enjoys the backing of US President Donald Trump, who granted him an audience in the White House in early May during the Polish presidential campaign. Negative press reports on evicting an elderly man from a flat for his own benefit and a recent revelation that he participated in a football riot in Gdansk in 2009 may dent his chances with some voters, but could also boost them among right-wing supporters.
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Poland votes in tight presidential race between pro-EU and nationalist visions
Polish presidential candidate Karol Nawrocki, backed by the main opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, and his wife Marta Nawrocka look on on the day of his final rally, ahead of the second round of presidential election, in Biala Podlaska, Poland, May 30, 2025. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel Polish presidential candidate Karol Nawrocki, backed by the main opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, speaks during his final rally, ahead of the second round of presidential election, in Biala Podlaska, Poland, May 30, 2025. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel A supporter of Polish presidential candidate Karol Nawrocki, backed by the main opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, wears boxing gloves during Nawrocki's final rally, ahead of the second round of presidential election, in Biala Podlaska, Poland, May 30, 2025. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel A combination picture shows two leading candidates in the Polish presidential election, Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, Civic Coalition presidential candidate, smiling during a visit to the Weglewski farm, ahead of the second round of Polish presidential election, in Buczek, May 29, 2025, and Polish presidential candidate Karol Nawrocki, backed by the main opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, reacting during his final rally, ahead of the second round of presidential election, in Biala Podlaska, Poland, May 30, 2025. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel Supporters of Polish presidential candidate Karol Nawrocki, backed by the main opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, attend his final rally, ahead of the second round of presidential election, in Biala Podlaska, Poland, May 30, 2025. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel WARSAW - Voting was underway in Poland's knife-edge presidential election on Sunday, which will determine whether the largest country in the European Union's eastern wing cements its place in the bloc's mainstream or turns towards MAGA-style nationalism. Turnout holds the key to the contest between Rafal Trzaskowski of ruling centrists Civic Coalition (KO), who holds a narrow lead in opinion polls, and Karol Nawrocki, backed by nationalists Law and Justice (PiS). Opinion polls show that the difference between the candidates is within the margin of error. Voting began at 7 a.m. (0500 GMT) and is due to end at 9 p.m., with exit polls published soon afterwards. The electoral commission says it hopes final results will be announced on Monday morning or early afternoon. Parliament holds most power in Poland but the president can veto legislation so the vote is being watched closely in neighbouring Ukraine, as well as in Russia, the U.S. and across the EU. Both candidates agree on the need to spend heavily on defence, as U.S. President Donald Trump is demanding from Europe, and to continue supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia's three-year-old invasion. But while Trzaskowski sees Ukraine's future membership of NATO as essential for Poland's security, Nawrocki has recently said he would not ratify it as president as this could draw the alliance into a war with Russia. Trzaskowski says strong relations with both Brussels and Washington are essential for Poland's security, but Nawrocki, who met Trump in the White House in May, prioritises relations with the United States. "The most important thing is foreign policy," said IT specialist Robert Kepczynski, 53, who was voting in Warsaw. "We can't look both ways, to the U.S. and the EU - and looking only to the U.S. for help is short-sighted." Economist Maria Luczynska, 73, said that going to vote made her emotional. "(The election) is important because this is how we decide our future. What country my daughter, my grandchildren will live in." If Nawrocki wins, he is likely to follow a similar path to President Andrzej Duda, a PiS ally who has used his veto power to block the government's efforts to undo the previous PiS administration's judicial reforms, which the EU says undermined the independence of the courts. Coming around a year and a half since Prime Minister Donald Tusk took office, the vote provides the stiffest test yet of support for his broad coalition government, with Nawrocki presenting the ballot as a referendum on its actions. In 2023, huge queues outside polling stations in large cities forced some to stay open later than planned. Analysts said that high participation by younger, liberal, urban Poles was crucial in securing a majority for Tusk. Trzaskowski is hoping that such scenes will be repeated on Sunday. "Encourage everyone, so that as many Poles as possible vote in the presidential election," he told a rally in Wloclawek, central Poland, on Friday. Nawrocki, who draws inspiration from Trump and his Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, told supporters in Biala Podlaska in the country's east that "these elections could be decided by single votes". SOCIAL ISSUES The two candidates also differ on social issues, with Trzaskowski favouring the liberalisation of abortion laws and introduction of civil partnerships for LGBT couples, while Nawrocki says predominantly Catholic Poland should reject such moves. The first round of the election on May 18 saw a surge in support for the anti-establishment far-right, suggesting that the KO-PiS duopoly that has dominated Polish politics for a generation may be starting to fracture. Nevertheless, after a tumultuous campaign in which Nawrocki in particular faced a slew of negative media reports about his alleged past conduct, once again candidates representing the two main parties are facing off in the second round. PiS has traditionally enjoyed high support in small towns and rural areas, especially in the south and east. These areas are typically more socially conservative than larger cities and poorer, creating a sense of exclusion that PiS has tapped into. "They want to build a Poland for the elites," Nawrocki told voters in Biala Podlaska, referring to his opponents from KO. KO, meanwhile, campaigns on a pro-European centrist agenda that appeals to more liberal-minded Poles who mainly live in cities or bigger towns. Trzaskowski took heart from the turnout at a rally in Ciechanow, central Poland. "Looking at this mobilisation, I see how much hope you have - hope in a future in which Poland plays a leading role in the European Union," he said. 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TimesLIVE
5 hours ago
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Pro-EU and MAGA visions clash in Poland's closely fought presidential runoff
Poland holds a knife-edge presidential election on Sunday which will determine whether the largest country in the EU's eastern wing cements its place in the bloc's mainstream or turns towards MAGA-style nationalism. Turnout holds the key to the contest between Rafal Trzaskowski of ruling centrists Civic Coalition (KO), who holds a narrow lead, and Karol Nawrocki, backed by nationalists Law and Justice (PiS). Parliament holds most power in Poland but the president can veto legislation so the vote is being watched closely in neighbouring Ukraine, as well as in Russia, the US and across the EU. Both candidates agree on the need to spend heavily on defence, as US President Donald Trump is demanding from Europe, and to continue supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia's three-year-old invasion. But while Trzaskowski sees Ukraine's future membership of Nato as essential for Poland's security, Nawrocki has recently said he would not ratify it as president as this could draw the alliance into a war with Russia. Trzaskowski says strong relations with both Brussels and Washington are essential for Poland's security, but Nawrocki, who met Trump in the White House in May, prioritises relations with the US. If Nawrocki wins, he is likely to follow a similar path to President Andrzej Duda, a PiS ally who has used his veto power to block the government's efforts to undo the previous PiS administration's judicial reforms which the EU says undermined the independence of the courts. Coming about a year-and-a half since Prime Minister Donald Tusk took office, the vote provides the stiffest test yet of support for his broad coalition government, with Nawrocki presenting the ballot as a referendum on its actions. Voting begins at 7am and is due to end at 9pm, with exit polls published soon afterwards. The electoral commission says it hopes final results will be announced on Monday morning or early afternoon. Opinion polls show that the difference between the candidates is within the margin of error. In 2023, huge queues outside polling stations in large cities forced some to stay open later than planned. Analysts said that high participation by younger, liberal, urban Poles was crucial in securing a majority for Tusk. Trzaskowski is hoping that such scenes will be repeated on Sunday. 'Encourage everyone, so that as many Poles as possible vote in the presidential election,' he told a rally in Wloclawek, central Poland, on Friday. Nawrocki, who draws inspiration from US President Donald Trump and his Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, told supporters in Biala Podlaska in the country's east that 'these elections could be decided by single votes'. The two candidates also differ on social issues, with Trzaskowski favouring the liberalisation of abortion laws and introduction of civil partnerships for LGBTQ+ couples, while Nawrocki says predominantly Catholic Poland should reject such moves. The first round of the election on May 18 saw a surge in support for the anti-establishment far-right, suggesting that the KO-PiS duopoly that has dominated Polish politics for a generation may be starting to fracture. Nevertheless, after a tumultuous campaign in which Nawrocki in particular faced a slew of negative media reports about his alleged past conduct, once again candidates representing the two main parties are facing off in the second round. PiS has traditionally enjoyed high support in small towns and rural areas, especially in the south and east. These areas are typically more socially conservative than larger cities and poorer, creating a sense of exclusion that PiS has tapped into. 'They want to build a Poland for the elites,' Nawrocki told voters in Biala Podlaska, referring to his opponents from KO. 'I am simply one of you, I am a citizen of the Polish state who has travelled a long road to be able to today face a person who is the creation of a political laboratory!' KO, meanwhile, campaigns on a pro-European centrist agenda that appeals to more liberal-minded Poles who mainly live in cities or bigger towns. Trzaskowski took heart from the turnout at a rally in Ciechanow, central Poland. 'Looking at this mobilisation, I see how much hope you have — hope in a future in which Poland plays a leading role in the EU,' he said.
Iraqi News
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Iraqi News
Poland goes to the polls in second round of close-fought presidential election
INA-source Polls have opened in Poland for the second round of the presidential election, with the two candidates offering radically different visions for the country locked in a dead heat. The race pits the pro-European Warsaw mayor, Rafał Trzaskowski, backed by Donald Tusk's politically-diverse governing coalition, against the historian and former amateur boxer Karol Nawrocki, endorsed by the populist-right Law and Justice (PiS) party that governed the country between 2015 and 2023. While the role of the Polish president is largely ceremonial, it carries some influence over foreign and defence policy and a critical power to veto new legislation. This can only be overturned with a majority of three-fifths in parliament, which the current government does not have. At stake is whether Tusk's government will be able to make progress on its electoral promises on the rule of law and social issues, including abortion and LGBTQ rights, after 18 months of difficult cohabitation with the opposition president, Andrzej Duda. Source- theguardian
The Sun
7 hours ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Nawrocki: Nationalist historian vying for Polish presidency
WARSAW: Karol Nawrocki, a nationalist historian who has written about the criminal underworld, heads into Sunday's presidential run-off tied with his opponent, pro-EU Warsaw mayor Rafal Trzaskowski. Nawrocki has been endorsed by the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party, which governed Poland from 2015 to 2023. The party is closely allied with outgoing President Andrzej Duda -- who has publicly backed Nawrocki -- and is a long-standing rival of the ruling Civic Coalition. Nawrocki campaigned under the slogan 'Poland first, Poles first'. While he has pledged to continue Poland's support for neighbouring Ukraine against Russia's invasion, he has denounced the benefits given to war refugees. He said in a campaign video in April that 'social benefits will be above all for Poles' and that 'in queues for doctors and clinics, Polish citizens must have priority'. In May, he claimed Ukraine 'has not shown gratitude for what Poles have done' and accused President Volodymyr Zelensky of 'insolence'. He opposes Ukraine's bid to join NATO. - Photos with Trump - Nawrocki is an admirer of Donald Trump and has said Poland should focus on shaping and leading Europe's relations with the US president. Nawrocki met Trump at the White House in May and claimed Trump had told him: 'You will win'. Some lawmakers from the governing coalition have accused Trump of election interference. US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem also endorsed Nawrocki when she attended a conservative conference in Poland, saying: 'He needs to be the next president.' Nawrocki has called for controls on the border with Germany to keep out migrants, and would like Berlin to pay wartime reparations to Poland. While wooing voters ahead of the razor-edge run-off, Nawrocki signed an eight-point pledge prepared by far-right leader Slawomir Mentzen. The election campaign saw Nawrocki embroiled in a series of scandals. While arguing against a property tax, he claimed to only own one flat. Later it was revealed he had acquired a second one through a convoluted deal with an elderly man. A bombshell news report also alleged he had arranged prostitutes for guests while working as a hotel security guard. Nawrocki called the accusations 'a bunch of lies' and said he would sue the news site. Born in the Baltic port city of Gdansk, Nawrocki boxed and played football in his youth before earning a PhD in history and an MBA. He served as the director of the World War II museum in Gdansk from 2017 to 2021. Since then, he has led the Institute of National Remembrance, which investigates Nazi and communist-era crimes. His research focuses on Poland's anti-communist opposition, organised crime during the communist era and sports history. Last year, Russia added Nawrocki to its wanted list for his alleged efforts to remove Soviet-era monuments in Poland. Nawrocki said he obtained a gun licence and firearm after winding up in Russia's crosshairs. - Dual identity - Nawrocki has written several books, including one under a pen name that landed him in an unusual controversy. In 2018, he secretly published a book about the communist-era gangster Nikodem Skotarczak using the pseudonym Tadeusz Batyr. That same year, a blurred and voice-altered 'Batyr' appeared on state television claiming Nawrocki had inspired the book. Nawrocki later wrote on social media that Batyr had sought his advice and 'thanked me with an interesting book, which I recommend'. But local media recently uncovered that Batyr and Nawrocki were one and the same. One TikTok user said: 'Maybe they'll substitute Batyr for Nawrocki in the runoff. In any case, the one backs the other. That's two votes already.' Political opponents seized on the revelation. Nawrocki has also faced accusations of ties to gangsters and neo-Nazis, which he has rejected as 'deep manipulation', insisting his contacts were for professional purposes. 'No one has ever heard a good word from me about Nazism,' he said. Nawrocki speaks English and still boxes in his spare time. He has said Poland needs 'a strong president for tough times'. He lives with his wife, Marta, and has two children and an adult stepson.
