Poland 2025 Elections: Get to know the winning candidate and the preliminary results.

In a fierce competition for the presidency of Poland, the two main candidates announced their victory in the second round of elections, which witnessed a high turnout of 72.8%. Rafał Trzaskowski, a supporter of the European Union and the mayor of Warsaw, led with 50.3% according to opinion polls, while his nationalist rival Karol Nawrocki received 49.7%, with a narrow margin of 0.6 percentage points. The voting saw political tension between the camp of supporters of progress and European integration led by Trzaskowski, and the supporters of Nawrocki, backed by the Law and Justice populist party, which governed Poland between 2015 and 2023. Nawrocki is known for his conservative positions, opposition to Ukraine joining NATO, calls for restrictions on Ukrainian refugees in Poland, as well as his support for strict immigration laws and broader sovereignty for the country within the European Union. On the other hand, Trzaskowski's supporters advocate accelerating social reforms and enhancing European integration, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the strong economic growth the country is experiencing. These elections come at a sensitive regional time, with Ukraine closely monitoring the results, seeking to strengthen international support in its negotiations with Russia, which faced Polish accusations of responsibility for a shopping center fire in Warsaw last year. It is worth mentioning that the Polish president enjoys extensive powers, including leading the armed forces, directing foreign policy, and the right of legislative veto, making the voters' decision influential on the country's future domestically and internationally. The final election results are expected on Monday morning, amid broad international and local anticipation to know who will lead Poland in the next phase.