The 2025 Polish presidential elections are general elections organized under a two-round system to determine the country's new five-year head of state. The first round of elections was held on Sunday, May 18, 2025. According to the election calendar announced by the National Electoral Commission (Państwowa Komisja Wyborcza - PKW), as no candidate secured an absolute majority in the first round, it was decided that the second round would be held on June 1, 2025. Rafał Trzaskowski received the highest number of votes in the first round.

_{Warsaw Mayor and Civic Platform's (PO) Polish Presidential candidate Rafal Trzaskowski, during the election night of the first round of the presidential elections held in Sandomierz, Poland, May 18, 2025 - Anadolu Agency}

Overview of the Election Process

The presidential election in Poland is conducted under a two-round system. If no candidate secures an absolute majority (50%+1) of valid votes in the first round, the two candidates with the highest number of votes compete in the second round. In the first round of the 2025 elections, no candidate achieved this majority; therefore, Rafał Trzaskowski and Karol Nawrocki, who received the highest votes, advanced to the second round to be held on June 1, 2025. Following the first round, the official calendar began, and candidates moved on to their second-round campaigns.

The election process was managed by the Polish National Electoral Commission (Państwowa Komisja Wyborcza - PKW). The PKW is responsible for ensuring that the elections are conducted transparently, orderly, and in accordance with the law. The Commission oversaw voting procedures at polling stations both domestically and abroad, announced provisional and final results, and regularly informed the public. Vote counting was carried out by local electoral commissions; the obtained data was transferred to the PKW.

In the first round of voting held on May 18, 2025, the nationwide voter turnout was recorded as 67.31%. This rate indicates a high level compared to previous elections. Polish citizens living abroad were able to vote at designated consular centers. 

Key Candidates and Campaign Period

Rafał Trzaskowski

Rafał Trzaskowski currently serves as the Mayor of Warsaw. He was supported by the ruling Civic Coalition (Koalicja Obywatelska – KO) in the 2025 presidential elections. Trzaskowski's candidacy was put forward with the aim of strengthening the influence of the centrist and liberal-leaning coalition led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk over the presidential office. In his campaign, Trzaskowski prioritized the rule of law, judicial reforms, a governance approach aligned with European institutions, and the re-establishment of democratic institutions. Throughout the election process, he made statements aimed at mobilizing young voters and emphasized the necessity of 'dialogue with everyone' in his second-round campaign.

_{Presidential candidate Rafal Trzaskowski, May 13, 2025 - Anadolu Agency}

Karol Nawrocki

Karol Nawrocki was nominated as a candidate for the 2025 elections by the opposition nationalist right-wing alliance. Nawrocki, who previously served as the president of the Institute of National Remembrance, received support from various traditional conservative circles within the right-wing bloc, primarily the Law and Justice Party (Prawo i Sprawiedliwość – PiS). He built his campaign on the themes of “protecting social achievements” and “preventing single-pole rule”. In his second-round strategies, the message of forming a defense line against the dominance of the center and left blocs came to the forefront. In his campaign, Nawrocki defended the existing judicial system in debates regarding judicial independence and drew attention with anti-immigration messages.

Controversial Issues on the Election Agenda

Among the most debated topics during the election process were judicial independence, migration policies, and Poland's position within the European Union. While Trzaskowski emphasized strengthening relations with the EU and a return to democratic norms, Nawrocki adopted a more autonomous foreign policy based on local values. Regarding migration, especially Ukrainian refugees and asylum policies, were made a campaign theme by some right-wing candidates. Judicial reform, on the other hand, was one of the main topics where the current government and opposition blamed each other. 

First Round Election Results (May 18, 2025)

Vote Distribution and Candidate Ranking

The first round of the Polish Presidential Elections was held on May 18, 2025. According to the final results announced by the National Electoral Commission (Państwowa Komisja Wyborcza - PKW), after 100% of the votes were counted, Rafał Trzaskowski received the highest number of votes. Trzaskowski garnered 6,147,743 votes, representing a 31.36% share. Karol Nawrocki came in second with 5,790,762 votes, accounting for 29.54%. These two candidates qualified to compete in the second round, which will be held on June 1, 2025. The overall voter turnout in the voting held on May 18, 2025, was announced as 67.31%. This turnout rate was high compared to previous presidential elections.

International Observations and External Repercussions

The first round of the 2025 Polish presidential elections was monitored by the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). A total of 67 individuals from 30 countries participated in the observation mission; 34 of them served as long-term observers, and 33 as PACE representatives. In the preliminary report published by OSCE and PACE, it was stated that the elections were conducted professionally. On the other hand, it was noted that some recommendations had not been implemented since previous years; concerns were specifically raised regarding the independence of judicial institutions and the impartiality of the court approving election results. Furthermore, imbalances in media access and funding were observed during the campaign period.

Allegations of Russian Interference

As the 2025 presidential election process continued, some statements regarding election security appeared in the Polish press and regional diplomatic sources. In an official statement by the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was stated that content disseminated via the Telegram platform on election day could be a Russian-sourced disinformation activity. Romanian users reportedly received a message, purportedly sent in the name of Telegram's founder, claiming that Western European countries were attempting to censor conservative views. 

The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that this message constituted interference in the election process; on May 18, 2025, the day the message was disseminated, it was declared to be 'a Russian influence on the elections'. On the same day, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued a statement, rejecting accusations of election interference directed at them and calling for respect for the democratic process.