Polish nationalist opposition candidate Karol Nawrocki won the second round of the presidential election with 50.89% of the vote, the election commission announced early on Monday, 2 June, dealing a blow to the pro-European government’s reform programme, according to Reuters.
His rival, Rafal Trzaskowski, the liberal mayor of Warsaw and an ally of Donald Tusk’s government, received 49.11% of the vote.
Exit polls conducted on Sunday had suggested that Trzaskowski would win by a narrow margin.
The 42-year-old Eurosceptic Nawrocki is a historian who led the National Remembrance Institute. During his campaign, he promised to ensure that economic and social policies would be more favourable to Poles than to other nationalities.
He is also an amateur boxer and won the election despite controversy in the final days of the campaign over his past, including how he acquired his apartment from a pensioner and after he admitted to participating in organised street fights.
Most of the power lies with the Polish parliament, but the president can veto laws. Many countries, including Ukraine, Russia, the US and EU member states, closely followed the vote.
Nawrocki, who is backed by the largest opposition party, Law and Justice (PiS), is expected to continue the policies of his predecessor, President Andrzej Duda, who is also a PiS ally, including blocking any government attempts to liberalise abortion or reform the judicial system.
On social media, Duda thanked Poles for their high voter turnout. The Electoral Commission announced that voter turnout was 71.31%, a record high for a second round of presidential elections.
“Thank you! For participating in the presidential election. For voter turnout. For fulfilling your civic duty. For taking responsibility for Poland. Congratulations to the winner! Stay strong, Poland!” wrote Duda.
Eurosceptic Nawrocki wins Polish presidential election, election commission says
