In a closely contested race, the Polish presidential election will be decided in a runoff. Preliminary projections indicate a neck-and-neck competition between Rafal Trzaskowski, the liberal-conservative candidate representing the government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Karol Nawrocki, the national-conservative candidate from the ruling party, PiS.
Trzaskowski currently holds a slight lead with 30.8% of the votes, while Nawrocki trails closely with 29.1%. The voter turnout was reported to be 66.8%. The decisive second round will take place on June 1st. The outcome of the election is of great significance for the Tusk government, as a victory for the government-backed candidate would likely signal an end to presidential vetoes, simplifying the government’s work.