Poland set for knife-edge presidential runoff as far right surges

The centrist and nationalist hopefuls contesting Poland’s presidential election runoff began trying to win over the supporters of eliminated candidates on Monday.

WARSAW, Poland — The centrist and nationalist hopefuls contesting Poland’s presidential election runoff began trying to win over the supporters of eliminated candidates on Monday, in a major test of the coalition government’s pro-European policies.

A broad alliance led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk swept to power in 2023 promising to mend ties with the European Union and undo judicial reforms implemented by the previous Law and Justice (PiS) rulers, which the European Union said undermined democracy.

However, Tusk’s agenda has been stymied by the veto powers of the departing president, PiS-ally Andrzej Duda.

Rafal Trzaskowski, from Tusk’s governing Civic Coalition (KO), narrowly led Karol Nawrocki, the candidate backed by the conservative-nationalist PiS, on Sunday, by 31.4% to 29.5%, a much narrower gap than opinion polls had suggested.

But a surge in support for far-right and anti-establishment candidates left the runoff on a knife-edge.