Polish Election Outcome: Nationalist Karol Nawrocki Secures Narrow Victory

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Nationalist historian Karol Nawrocki has narrowly secured victory in Poland’s presidential election, marking a significant setback for the nation’s pro-EU administration.

The 42-year-old, a supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump, garnered 50.89 percent of the votes in Sunday’s runoff, as reported by the national election commission.

His opponent, Rafal Trzaskowski, the 53-year-old pro-EU mayor of Warsaw and ally of the country’s centrist leadership and Prime Minister Donald Tusk, achieved 49.11 percent in the highly divided NATO and EU member state.

Here’s what you need to know about Poland’s president-elect.

A nationalist who believes ‘Polish citizens must have priority’

Nawrocki was endorsed by the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party, which governed Poland from 2015 to 2023.

Nawrocki’s party maintains a strong alliance with outgoing President Andrzej Duda—who has openly endorsed him—and has been a traditional opponent of the ruling Civic Coalition.

A banner featuring two men in blue suits, giving thumbs-up signs, is being held up by people at a rally.

An admirer of Donald Trump, Karol Nawrocki, recounted that the U.S. president assured him, “You will win,” during their encounter in May. Source: AAP / EPA / Jarek Praszkiewicz

Nawrocki campaigned under the slogan “Poland first, Poles first”.

While he has pledged to continue Poland’s support for neighbouring Ukraine against Russia’s invasion, he has denounced the benefits given to war refugees.

He said in a campaign video in April that “social benefits will be above all for Poles” and that “in queues for doctors and clinics, Polish citizens must have priority”.

In May, he said Ukraine “has not shown gratitude for what Poles have done” and accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of “insolence”.

He opposes Ukraine’s bid to join NATO.

Nawrocki has called for controls on the border with Germany to keep out migrants, and would like Germany to pay wartime reparations to Poland.

A fan of Donald Trump

Nawrocki is an admirer of Trump and has said Poland should focus on shaping and leading Europe’s relations with the US president.

Nawrocki met Trump at the White House in May and said Trump had told him: “You will win.”

The two were shown giving a thumbs-up in photos released by the White House.

Some politicians from the governing coalition accused Trump of interfering in the election.

US secretary of homeland security Kristi Noem also endorsed Nawrocki when she attended a conservative conference in Poland, saying: “He needs to be the next president.”

A man and a woman shaking hands in front of American and Polish flags.

US homeland security secretary Kristi Noem had also endorsed Karol Nawrocki as the next president of Poland. Source: Getty / Pool

A controversial campaign

During his election campaign, Nawrocki was embroiled in a series of scandals.

While arguing against a property tax, he claimed to only own one flat. It was later revealed he had acquired a second one through a convoluted deal with an elderly man.

A news report also alleged he had arranged sex workers for guests while working as a hotel security guard.

Nawrocki called the accusations “a bunch of lies” and said he would sue the news site.

An author and amateur boxer

Born in the Baltic port city of Gdańsk, Nawrocki boxed and played football in his youth before earning a PhD in history and an MBA.

He served as the director of the World War Two museum in Gdańsk from 2017 to 2021.

A man in a suit with a Polish flag pin on it, standing in front of a blue background.

Karol Nawrocki has strongly expressed Polish nationalist sentiments throughout his campaign. Source: AAP / EPA / Leszek Szymanski

Since then, Nawrocki has led the Institute of National Remembrance, which investigates Nazi and communist-era crimes.

His research focused on Poland’s anti-communist opposition, organised crime during the communist era and sports history.

Last year, Russia added Nawrocki to its wanted list for his alleged efforts to remove Soviet-era monuments in Poland.

Nawrocki has written several books, including one under a pen name that landed him in an unusual controversy.

In 2018, he secretly published a book about the communist-era gangster Nikodem Skotarczak using the pseudonym Tadeusz Batyr.

That same year, a blurred and voice-altered “Batyr” appeared on state television claiming Nawrocki had inspired the book.

Nawrocki later wrote on social media that Batyr had sought his advice and “thanked me with an interesting book, which I recommend”.

But local media recently uncovered that Batyr and Nawrocki were one and the same. Political opponents seized on the revelation.

Nawrocki has also faced accusations of ties to gangsters and neo-Nazis, which he has rejected as “deep manipulation”, insisting his contacts were for professional purposes.

“No-one has ever heard a good word from me about Nazism.”