Presidential election in Poland 2025: Who are the main actors?

The office of President in Poland was created in 1918 after the country's independence. The first regulations came into force in 1921, and after the abolition from 1947 to 1989 the office was reintroduced. Currently the The constitution of 1997 The competencies of the President, including the veto law in laws and the appointment of the Prime Minister.

election candidate

The main candidates for the upcoming elections are Rafał Trzaskowski (53), Mayor of Warsaw and representative of the citizens' platform (PO), as well as Karol Nawrocki (42), independent and supported by the law and justice (PIS), which represents traditional values. Sławomir Mentzen (38) from the Confederacja and Szymon Hołownia (48) by Trzecia Droga, as well as the most prominent left -wing candidate Magdalena Biejat (43), who are committed to women's rights and social justice, are also available. Other candidates already registered include Adrian Zandberg, Joanna Senyszyn, Grzegorz Braun and YouTuber Krzysztof Stanowski.

Rafał Trzaskowski goes into the race again in 2020 after his narrow defeat against Andrzej Duda, after he prevailed in a partial area against Radek Sikorski. Karol Nawrocki was previously director of the museum for the Second World War and has little political experience. In the surveys, Trzaskowski leads for the first ballot, followed by Nawrocki and Mentzen.

political framework conditions

The incumbent President Andrzej Duda, in office since 2015, has no right to re -election in accordance with the constitution after two terms. Duda often blocked laws of the new government during his tenure, especially in a phase in which the PIs lost their absolute majority in the 2023 parliamentary elections. This coalition, consisting of the citizens' platform, Trzecia Droga and Lewica under Prime Minister Donald Tusk, is faced with numerous challenges.

The political atmosphere in Poland is characterized by topics such as the rule of law, EU integration and international relationship. Duda's conservative politics, his close cooperation with the USA and the support of Ukraine are also part of his political heritage. However, he also learned international criticism because of his attitude to LGBTQ+rights and his blockade of reform laws.

The elections will have far-reaching consequences for Poland's interior and foreign policy orientation. A victory of Trzaskowski could open up scope for the necessary reforms to the new government, while a victory by Nawrocki could potentially lead to the standstill of the reforms.

election processes and participation

The choice is done by a direct vote, with an absolute majority required. If there is no clear winner, a runoff election takes place two weeks later. The prerequisites for candidacy include Polish citizenship, a minimum age of 35 years and the collection of 100,000 supporter signatures . The deadline for submitting these signatures ended on 24. March 2025 .

A turnout of 29 million people entitled to vote is considered to be the trend -setting for the coming years. Positive or negative election outputs could have massive effects on the political landscape and the social stability of the country. Overall, the presidential election in Poland 2025 will not only be important for national politics, but will also have an impact on the country's international relationships, such as the Federal Central for Political Education explained.