Trzaskowski concedes election
The defeated candidate, Rafał Trzaskowski, has now conceded the election after a bruising night which started off with him declaring a victory on the basis of an exit poll, but ended with him bitterly disappointed.
In a social media post, he thanked his supporters for voting for “strong, safe, honest and empathetic” Poland.
“Thank you for trusting in me and for your vote on Sunday. I am sorry I could not persuade the majority of citizens to my vision of Poland. I am sorry we didn’t win together.”
He then added:
“I congratulate Karol Nawrocki on his win in the presidential election. This victory comes with great responsibility, especially in such challenging times. Especially with such a close result. Please keep that in mind.
Thank you for everything. See you!”
Orbán and Le Pen cheer Karol Nawrocki’s election as Polish president
Jakub Krupa in Warsaw and Jon Henley
Far-right leaders in Europe have welcomed the victory of the nationalist opposition candidate, Karol Nawrocki, in Poland’s presidential elections, a result that deals a huge blow to the centre-right prime minister Donald Tusk’s reform and pro-EU agenda.
Nawrocki, a conservative historian and former amateur boxer, won Sunday’s election with 50.89% of the vote, final figures showed on Monday, ahead of his rival, Rafał Trzaskowski, the liberal Warsaw mayor and an ally of Tusk, who secured 49.11%.
“Congratulations to President @NawrockiKn on his fantastic victory,” Hungary’s illiberal prime minister, Viktor Orbán, posted on social media, adding that he was “looking forward to working” with the 42-year-old, who has never held elected office.
France’s far-right National Rally leader, Marine Le Pen, said Nawrocki’s win was “good news” and marked a “disavowal of the Brussels oligarchy” trying to impose its “authoritarian policies and federalist ambitions … in defiance of the democratic will”.
Nawrocki was backed by the right-populist Law and Justice (PiS) party, which ruled Poland until Tusk’s parliamentary election victory in late 2023.
Polish presidential election results – in visuals
Polish prime minister Donald Tusk is yet to comment on the result of last night’s vote and the bitter disappointment of his candidate losing the election.
It’s unusual for him to be so restrained, as he’s normally very active on social media and keen to speak on public issues of the day.
In the last few minutes, TVN24 reported that he will offer his reaction in a “special broadcast” at 8pm local time tonight.
One to watch.
Populist Nawrocki’s triumph threatens Poland’s place at Europe’s top table – analysis
Jon Henley
The victory margin of the nationalist Karol Nawrocki in Poland’s presidential elections may have been wafer-thin, but it marks a huge upheaval in the country’s political landscape whose impact will be felt not just in Warsaw but across the EU.
His win means PiS retains a size-11 boot in the door of Poland’s politics that could seriously destabilise the coalition government of the centre-right prime minister, Donald Tusk, and threaten the country’s newfound place at Europe’s top table.
Nawrocki’s victory hands him a presidential veto that will make it difficult for Tusk’s government to pass promised legislation rolling back the judicial and other changes implemented by PiS that led to repeated clashes with Brussels.
But it heralds more than just a delicate period of cohabitation between a pro-EU prime minister and a nationalist, Eurosceptic president. The 42-year-old, who has never held elected office, will seek to actively undermine Tusk wherever he can.
Poland’s outgoing PiS-aligned president, Andrzej Duda, deployed his veto, but sparingly. Nawrocki will do so more aggressively and systematically, analysts say, aiming to weaken the prime minister before 2027 parliamentary elections.
PiS and its allies will portray Sunday’s presidential vote as a full-scale rejection of Tusk’s progressive and reformist agenda – and may even be tempted to try to bring down his already fractured coalition government before the end of its term.
Trzaskowski concedes election
The defeated candidate, Rafał Trzaskowski, has now conceded the election after a bruising night which started off with him declaring a victory on the basis of an exit poll, but ended with him bitterly disappointed.
In a social media post, he thanked his supporters for voting for “strong, safe, honest and empathetic” Poland.
“Thank you for trusting in me and for your vote on Sunday. I am sorry I could not persuade the majority of citizens to my vision of Poland. I am sorry we didn’t win together.”
He then added:
“I congratulate Karol Nawrocki on his win in the presidential election. This victory comes with great responsibility, especially in such challenging times. Especially with such a close result. Please keep that in mind.
Thank you for everything. See you!”
View from Berlin – reactions
Deborah Cole
Germany had clearly been hoping for another outcome from the Polish election, with a strong, like-minded partner for cooperation within the EU on hot-button issues such as immigration, and on the Ukraine brief.
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier tried to put a brave face on the results with a statement early on Monday sending “warm congratulations” to Karol Nawrocki.
“Germany and Poland are not only neighbours but also friends,” Steinmeier said. “I am grateful that I have been able to experience and take part in the deepening of our relations over many years.”
Steinmeier said German-Polish friendship was “a matter close to my heart”: “Let us strengthen friendship between our people together.”
In an oblique reference to Warsaw’s continued demand for further wartime reparations 80 years on, he insisted Berlin was “aware of its ongoing responsibility for the great suffering that Germans have brought upon Poland”.
“We are all the more grateful that Poland and Germany stand side-by-side today as close partners in the European Union and Nato,” he said.
Steinmeier offered close cooperation “on the foundation of democracy and the rule of law,” in order “to ensure a future for Europe in security, freedom and prosperity”.
The German head of state closed with a reminder of Nawrocki’s heavy responsibility, with his country and Europe at a crossroads.
“You are taking office at a very challenging time for Europe, in which we are counting on Poland,” he said. “A strong Europe needs good German-Polish cooperation, especially at this time.”
Steinmeier closed with an invitation to visit Berlin, saying he would be “delighted” to welcome him soon and wishing him “every success in your office which is full of responsibility”.
Other European leaders are also sending Nawrocki their congratulations, including the Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán.
He said:
What a nail-biter! Congratulations to President @NawrockiKn on his fantastic victory in the Polish presidential elections. We are looking forward to working with you on strengthening the Visegrad cooperation.
Lithuanian president Gitanas Nausėda said:
Congratulations @NawrockiKn on being elected as President of Poland! Lithuania and Poland are united by sincere friendship rooted in history, culture, and values. I look forward to continuing our close cooperation for the security and prosperity of our nations and Europe as a whole.
Czech prime minister Petr Fiala:
Congratulations to @NawrockiKn on winning the presidential election. Poland is one of our closest allies, and I firmly believe that we will continue to strengthen our relations, which are founded on solid democratic values.
Zelenskyy congratulates Nawrocki on win, hopes for ‘fruitful cooperation’ with Poland
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has just congratulated Nawrocki on the win.
He said:
Poland, which preserves the strength of its national spirit and its faith in justice, has been and remains a pillar of regional and European security, and a strong voice defending freedom and dignity for every nation.
By reinforcing one another on our continent, we give greater strength to Europe in global competition and bring the achievement of real and lasting peace closer. I look forward to continued fruitful cooperation with Poland and with President Nawrocki personally.
Jakub Krupa
Good morning, or dzień dobry, from Warsaw, it’s Jakub Krupa here, taking over to bring you the latest updates from Poland and across Europe.
Here is a video report on Karol Nawrocki’s election victory in Poland. The populist-right opposition candidate narrowly won with 50.89% of the vote in a blow for the coalition government led by Donald Tusk.
Reuters reports that the stock market in Poland is slightly down after Karol Nawrocki’s narrow election victory. The blue-chip index WIG20 was down about 3.39%.