Warsaw's mayor - liberal Rafal Trzaskowski, and conservative historian Karol Nawrocki are leading in Poland's presidential election, exit polls show, with both likely to advance to a runoff, the Associated Press reported, quoted by BTA.
The results of the Ipsos exit poll, published three hours after the polls closed, showed Trzaskowski with about 31.1 percent of the vote, and Nawrocki with 29.1 percent. This means that the second round on June 1 could be very tense. Official results are expected on Monday or Tuesday.
Trszkowski is an ally of Prime Minister Donald Tusk and supports a pro-European stance, the AP recalls. He receives the most support in cities, where many people like his secular views and his support for the rights of people of different sexual orientations.
Nawrocki is a conservative historian, supported by the nationalist opposition party "Law and Justice" (PiS), and has no political experience. He heads the state-run Institute of National Remembrance and presents himself as a defender of conservative values and national sovereignty. During the campaign, he adhered to anti-Ukrainian rhetoric. Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump received Nawrocki at the White House.
Trszkowski's results in exit polls are worse than expected, the AP notes. The conservative candidate, on the other hand, is receiving more support than polls had predicted, despite accusations that marked the campaign that he had unfairly acquired the apartment of an elderly man. Nawrocki denied this and, after Polish society was shaken by the scandal, he donated the apartment to charity.
That night, Nawrocki addressed his voters and welcomed the result, noting that there was a slight "cosmetic difference" between him and his rival Trzaskowski. "I would like to thank the millions of Poles who voted for me," Nawrocki told supporters in the city of Gdansk. "The millions of Poles who did not succumb to the pressure of propaganda, falsifications and lies," he added.
According to the Ipsos exit poll, the candidate of the far-right party "Confederation" Sławomir Menzen received 14.8% of the vote, while the support of the other far-right participant in the race - Grzegorz Braun, amounted to 6.3%.
The official results of the vote are expected in the next two days, but exit poll data show that the upcoming second round of the election will be a challenge for Trzaskowski, commented the AP.
Although in Poland the main domestic political power is concentrated in the hands of the prime minister and parliament, the president also has significant powers. He is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, plays a major role in foreign and security policy and can veto laws.
"The game for everything has just begun", Trzaskowski wrote on the social network "Ex" that night. "A tough fight for every vote. These two weeks will decide the future of our homeland. That is why I will not back down", he added.
Trzaskowski pledged support for reforming the courts and public media, which some critics say have been politicized during PiS rule. He was also a presidential candidate in 2020, but lost to Andrzej Duda.
Trzaskowski told supporters in the southern Polish city of Sandomierz that he was aware that the race would be tough and acknowledged that he had a lot of work ahead of him. He appealed to the voters of the other candidates and appealed for their support in the second round. Trzaskowski described his rival, Nawrocki, as a "radical, seeking conflict" and promised to be a constructive president and reduce tensions in a deeply divided nation.
Polish authorities have reported attempts at foreign interference during the campaign, including hacking attacks targeting parties in Tusk's coalition.
The election comes at a time of heightened concern about the ongoing war in neighboring Ukraine. There is also growing concern in Warsaw that U.S. commitment to European security could weaken under Trump.