Warsaw, Poland (AP) – Poland held its presidential election on Sunday, with conservative incumbent Andrzej Duda approaching his second and final term. If none of the 13 candidates win at least 50% of the vote, runoff will be held between the top two on June 1. All signs suggest that this will be a showdown between Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski and conservative historian Karol Nawrocki.
Although most of Poland's power lies in the prime minister and the legislature, the presidency far exceeds etiquette and has had an impact on foreign policy and military affairs and on the ability to veto legislation.
Here are the opinions of the top four candidates:
Warsaw's Liberal Mayor RafałTrzaskowski
Trzaskowski, a political ally of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, has been leading the polls, supporting just over 30%, his two main rivals, both conservative nationalists.
The 53-year-old supporter praised his pro-European position and his role in modernizing Warsaw, where both infrastructure and culture were invested heavily during his tenure.
However, Poland remains a largely conservative Catholic country. Trzaskowski's liberal view, especially his support for LGBTQ+ rights and his participation in Pride Parades – alienated some voters outside the city center. He also faces criticism of local governance, including allegations of inefficiency, controversial real estate management and wasteful spending.
In runoff, he can expect most of the right-wing voters to merge behind another candidate. Trzaskowski is also vulnerable to voter indifference among centrists and progressives, frustrated by Tusk’s inability to provide key campaign commitments, such as relaxing Poland’s strict abortion laws.
This is the second presidential election for Trzaskowski after Duda narrowly defeated him five years ago.
Conservative historian Karol Nawrocki
Nawrocki, 42, is a candidate for the Polish Conservative Law and Judicial Party. The historian is currently in charge of the National Memorial Institute, where he angered Russia and worked to overthrow the Soviet-era memorial. He previously directed the Geddank World War II Museum and posted its national conservative stamps on the institution. His academic work focused on anti-communist resistance and organized crime in Poland during the communist era.
He is not a party member and his candidacy represents the strategy of the Law and Judicial Party to propose new faces designed to restore influence. The party ruled for eight years, but lost the power of the Ivory Alliance in 2023.
Navoloki's campaign was damaged by controversy.
The reporter revealed that in 2018, he published a book about the infamous gangster under the pseudonym “Tadeusz Batyr”. In a TV interview, Batyr (his face is blurred), his voice changes – praises Nawrocki's work without revealing that they are the same person. Nawrocki praised Batyr's work with his true identity.
Nawrocki is also involved in the scandal, which involves the acquisition of an apartment from an elderly retiree named Jerzy. The allegations show that Navoloki promised to take care of Yelz but failed to fulfill his promise, which ended up trapping the man in a state-sponsored retirement home. Nawrocki denied that there were wrongdoing in both cases.
Sławomir Mentzen, a far-right firepower and beer entrepreneur
Sławomir Mentzen became a prominent figure in the presidential campaign at the age of 38, using his savvy use of social media platforms to connect with young voters. His fashionable videos and populist news resonated with many young people, especially men. Mentzen has also been actively visiting the country, aiming to expand his appeal to older demographics.
The rise of his federal party coincides with a surge in populist right-wing movements across Europe.
But Mancen's political journey is not without controversy. In 2019, he made headlines and said: “We don’t want Jews, gays, abortions, taxes or the EU.”
Although he later said that the sentence was removed from the context, it continued to cover him. Although the Federalist Party emphasized its free market position and distanced itself from certain extreme elements, many poles remained alert to Mentzen's past statements.
His early surge in polls after he advocated for the introduction of tuition at state universities, a position that proved unpopular given Poland's tradition of liberal higher education.
He is also in a difficult position on abortion, and even in rape cases, opposes that position – a view that is too much for many.
Mencen is also a successful entrepreneur. He holds a degree in economics and physics and owns a brewery in the city of Torun that has developed names such as “White IPA Affairs”, “Hate Speech” and “Bitcoin”. A black bartender in the marketing campaign for “White IPA Affairs” beer sparked controversy.
In personal revelation, Mantzson revealed in 2024 that he has autism. He shared that despite his strong concentration skills, sometimes he struggles to explain others’ emotions.
Szymon Hołownia, Speaker and the Style of the Performing Artist
Szymon Hołownia, 48, is a former television celebrity who transitioned to politics and brought charm and fresh faces to the political stage.
Once a seminary student, he is widely known as co-host of the Polish version of “Got Talent”. His political journey began with a candidacy for the 2020 presidential election, where he won nearly 14% of the votes to finish third.
In 2020, Hołownia established the Polish Movement 2050, which developed into a political party. In the 2023 elections, the party teamed up with the conservative Polish BJP to form a third way alliance and then joined Tusk's alliance. Honniah was elected as Speaker of the Polish House of Commons Parliament SEJM.
His performer's talent is a vibrant Poles in a political scene dominated by many characters for decades, including Ivory. The charming citizen started watching live conferences online online, which was attracted by his energy and wit.
Some analysts say his decision to join the Tusk government has undermined his image as a refreshing outsider.
