Liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski appeared set to narrowly win Poland's presidential election on Sunday, according to an exit poll, in a vote seen as a test of the nation's support for a pro-European course versus Donald Trump-style nationalism.
An exit poll by Ipsos for broadcasters TVN, TVP and Polsat showed Rafal Trzaskowski of the ruling centrists Civic Coalition (KO) winning 50.3 percent of ballots, while his rival, a nationalist historian and amateur boxer, Karol Nawrocki, backed by nationalists Law and Justice (PiS), was at 49.7 percent.
Official results were expected on Monday, although a late poll that mixes some results with exit surveys was expected to be published overnight.
Trzaskowski, 53, campaigned on a promise to help the government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk complete its democratic reforms, which they both say aim to repair an erosion of checks and balances under the previous nationalist government that lost power in 2023.
Parliament holds most of the power in Poland, but the president can veto legislation, so the vote is being watched closely in neighbouring Ukraine, as well as in Russia, the US and across the European Union.
Both candidates agreed on the need to spend heavily on defence, as US President Donald Trump is demanding from Europe, and to continue supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia's three-year-old invasion.
But while Trzaskowski sees Ukraine's future membership of NATO as essential for Poland's security, Nawrocki said recently that if he were president he would not ratify it because of the danger of the alliance being drawn into war with Russia.
Social issues were also at stake in the election.
Trzaskowski has said he wanted to see Poland's near total ban on abortion eased, something that outgoing nationalist President Andrzej Duda strongly opposed.
(Reuters)
