In a pivotal shift for Poland and potentially for the balance of power within the EU, conservative candidate Karol Nawrocki won the Polish presidential election on Sunday, June 1st. The result marks a decisive victory for sovereigntist and patriotic forces within the country, delivering a blow to the pro-EU, progressive coalition government of PM Donald Tusk.
Nawrocki, a historian and head of the Institute of National Remembrance, secured 50.9% of the vote in a tightly contested runoff against the liberal Warsaw mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, the vice-chairman of Tusk’s ruling Civic Platform (EPP) and a staunch advocate of closer EU integration. His party is a key ally of the mainstream EU elites.
Nawrocki’s victory was helped by a joint right-wing effort between the main opposition conservative PiS (ECR) and the populist Konfederacja (PfE/ESN) to defeat the liberal mayor, and by proxy, PM Tusk. The president-elect was also helped by the endorsement of Sławomir Mentzen, the right-wing populist candidate who secured third place, with nearly 15% of the vote, in the first round of the election on May 18th.
Sunday’s result, confirmed by the National Electoral Commission early on Monday, came after a tense election campaign that focused on countering the rule of law abuses and political persecutions committed by the Tusk government. Sovereignty, cultural identity, and the future of Poland’s place within the European project were also big themes.
Supporters of Nawrocki gathered in Warsaw’s Old Town, waving Polish flags and singing patriotic hymns late into the night. In his victory speech, Nawrocki said he would “defend the soul of the Polish nation,” asserting that Poland must “remain faithful to its Christian heritage and proud of its sovereign history.”
“We are not a province of Brussels,” Nawrocki declared to thunderous applause. “We are a nation with a thousand years of history, forged in faith and sacrifice. Today, we begin a new chapter in which Poland stands tall, free, and true to its values.”
As an academic and anti-communist activist, Nawrocki rose to prominence as a fierce critic of what he described as the “cultural colonization” of Central Europe by liberal Western elites. His presidency is expected to mark a more confrontational approach to the European Commission, particularly on issues such as migration, judicial reforms, and family policy.
Unsurprisingly, Nawrocki’s victory has not been universally welcomed in Brussels. While European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen issued a reserved statement expressing hope for “constructive cooperation,” observers noted her visible lack of enthusiasm. Her tone showed a sharp contrast to the aftermath of the parliamentary election in late 2023, when she celebrated Tusk’s victory over the PiS by personally travelling to Warsaw.
Other top EU leaders, such as EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola, Council President António Costa, or foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, had not even issued any statement at the time of writing.
By contrast, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and U.S. President Donald Trump, as well as other conservative leaders in Europe, were among the first to congratulate Nawrocki, hailing the result as a triumph of “freedom, tradition, and the will of the people.”
For Poles, Nawrocki’s victory represents a pushback against years of progressive social engineering and EU overreach—and a humiliation for PM Donald Tusk, who’s been accused of unlawfully persecuting the right-wing opposition and cracking down on free speech, conservative media, and religious organizations.
However, the road ahead will not be easy. With the presidency and government in opposing hands, the constitutional battles that characterized the first 18 months of the Tusk administration will continue for the remainder of his term.
Yet, if his first address is any indication, Poland’s new president is not afraid of conflict, and is prepared to be a defiant voice both at home and in Europe. He could be a standard-bearer for those who believe in a Europe of nations, not a federalized superstate.
As Poland embarks on this new political chapter, the message from Warsaw is clear: tradition still matters, sovereignty still counts, and the spirit of the nation cannot be easily subdued.