After a competitive election, nationalist populist Karol Nawrocki will become Poland’s next leader. His victory gives the populist movement a significant boost in both Europe and the world.
The opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, which had backed Nawrocki, won 50.89 percent of the vote, according to the Electoral Commission’s results on Monday. In Sunday’s run-off, Rafal Trzaskowski, a liberal mayor of Warsaw, won 49.1% of the vote.
The close encounter is seen as a stark illustration of the deep division between liberals and conservative forces, who are primarily concentrated in major cities, and who are frequently associated with the powerful Catholic Church.
Nawrocki is expected to use his veto power to stymie the agenda of Prime Minister Donald Tusk by following in the footsteps of his predecessor Andrzej Duda from PiS, despite the country’s majority in terms of power.
The judicial system, which PiS revamped during its eight years in power, ended in 2023, has been pledged by Tusk’s centrist coalition government to reform. The European Union, which claimed the changes criticized the judiciary as politicizing and anti-democratic, is at odds with PIS’s proposals.
Due to Duda’s opposition, the government has also struggled to ease restrictions on abortion and establish LGBTQ rights.
Nawrocki has vowed to guard Poland’s sovereignty from what he perceives as excessive Brussels interference, as well as criticizing Ukraine’s plans to acquiesce in NATO and EU membership.
Nawrocki has also promised to prioritize the needs of Poles over the numerous refugees the nation has taken in, despite continuing to support Kyiv in its conflict with Russia.
Therefore, his victory might have an impact on Warsaw’s relations with the EU and its support for Ukrainian refugees.
Right-wing organizations in Europe, who were disappointed by George Simion’s defeat in last month’s presidential election, have been quick to applaud.
How did the world react to his victory, in this case:
Poland
Trzaskowski congratulated Nawrocki on his victory, warned him to represent every Pole, and conceded defeat. “This victory is a requirement, especially in these challenging circumstances.” particularly when the outcome is similar. Trzaskowski said on X, “don’t forget that.”
In the first round of the May 18 election, the far-right Confederation party’s leader Slawomir Mentzen said, “I’m really counting on you not forget those millions of voters who did not vote for you in the first round but did yesterday.” They desired change.
On X, PiS lawmaker Jacek Sasin wrote, “The referendum has been won.
European Union
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, expressed her congratulations and confidence in the continuation of “very good cooperation” with Warsaw.
In our shared values of peace, democracy, and strength, we are all stronger as a family. So let’s work together to ensure our common home’s security and prosperity,” she said on X.
Ukraine
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, expressed his interest in “fruitful cooperation” with Poland.
“We strengthen one another on our continent, giving Europe more strength in the face of global competition,” Zelenskyy said.
Germany
According to President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Nawrocki and Poland should “cooperate closely based on democracy and the rule of law” and rely on one another’s cooperation to “ensure a future of security, freedom, and prosperity for Europe.”
NATO
Secretary-General Mark Rutte stated that he was looking forward to working with Nawrocki to “making sure that NATO becomes even stronger than it is today.”
France
The election resulted in a “rebuff to the Brussels oligarchy, which intends to impose a standardization of legislation on member states, contrary to any democratic will,” according to far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who also praised the European Commission’s “authoritarian policies and federalist ambitions” as “a brutally repressive national sovereignty.”
Hungary
Viktor Orban, the prime minister of Hungary, thanked Nawrocki for his “fantastic victory,” calling himself a model for the nation’s populist movements in Europe. In reference to the four-nation Visegrad Group, which includes the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Orban added that he is “looking forward to working with Nawrocki] on strengthening Visegrad cooperation.
Nawrocki’s success was referred to as a “fresh victory for]European] patriots,” according to Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.
Romania
