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<p>&#8216;Poland’s strength lies in its faith and family values,&#8217; Nawrocki declared at a campaign rally, framing his presidency as a defense against secular influences.</p>
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<p>In a tightly contested runoff election, nationalist candidate Karol Nawrocki won Poland’s presidency with 50.89% of the vote, narrowly defeating Warsaw mayor Rafał Trzaskowski’s 49.11%, according to final results announced Monday. </p>
<p>Nawrocki, a 42-year-old historian and former amateur boxer, ran on a platform emphasizing traditional Catholic values and cultural and political conservatism. He has vowed to maintain close ties between the Polish government and the Catholic Church, saying he views faith as a cornerstone of national culture. </p>
<p>During the campaign, Nawrocki made headlines by publicly shredding a copy of <i>Gender Queer: A Memoir</i>, signaling his staunch opposition to progressive social policies. He has pledged to veto any legislation liberalizing Poland’s strict abortion laws or introducing same-sex civil unions, citing the Catholic Church’s teachings on sexual ethics and the need to protect traditional family structures. </p>
<p>“Poland’s strength lies in its faith and family values,” Nawrocki declared at a campaign rally, framing his presidency as a defense against secular influences.</p>
<p>His conservative stance contrasts sharply with Trzaskowski, who campaigned on progressive reforms, including abortion law liberalization, support for LGBTQ+ civil partnerships, and deeper European integration.</p>
<p>Nawrocki is expected to use his presidential veto to block Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s pro-European Union, reformist legislative efforts. </p>
<p>The Polish presidency, while largely ceremonial, wields significant influence through its veto power, which requires a 60% parliamentary majority to override — a threshold Tusk’s coalition lacks. This dynamic echoes the tenure of outgoing President Andrzej Duda, a PiS (Law and Justice Party) ally who consistently thwarted Tusk’s attempts to reverse PiS-era judicial reforms.</p>
<p>Poland’s president is elected to a five-year term through a two-round voting system, with a runoff between the top two candidates if no one secures a majority in the first round. Presidents may serve up to two terms. Duda’s second term ends on Aug. 6, when president-elect Nawrocki will be sworn in to office.</p>
<p>The election, the closest in Poland’s post-communist history, underscores the country’s deepening political divide. Early exit polls had predicted a Trzaskowski win, while the actual results ended up reversing those projections. Exit polls also showed that younger voters leaned toward Nawrocki in the runoff.</p>
<p>Nawrocki’s win has broader implications for Poland’s role in Europe. His opposition to strengthening EU ties and Ukraine’s NATO membership sets him apart from Trzaskowski’s pro-EU platform.</p>
<p>Nawrocki has expressed strong opposition to illegal immigration, advocating for policies that prioritize Polish citizens and reject EU-driven migration frameworks.</p>
<p>“My Poland is a Poland without illegal migrants,” he said during his campaign.</p>
<p>Conservative European leaders celebrated the result, with Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán calling it a “fantastic victory” and France’s Marine Le Pen, deputy of the French National Assembly, praising it as a rejection of the “Brussels oligarchy.” </p>
<p>Nawrocki attended the National Day of Prayer at the White House last month, posing for photos with President Donald Trump, who <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/trump-meets-polish-nationalist-candidate-ahead-presidential-election-2025-05-02/" target="null">supported</a> Nawrocki’s presidential bid.</p>
<p>At a Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) meeting in Poland last week, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also strongly <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/mq5AMt-AYMc?si=0qlL3KFB3JWk5-lo" target="null">endorsed</a> Nawrocki.</p>
<p>“I met with Karol, and let me be clear: He must be Poland’s next president. Are we on the same page?” Noem declared.</p>
<p>“You need to choose the right leader,” she continued. “You can be the ones to steer Europe back toward conservative values.”</p>
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<br /><a href="https://www.ncregister.com/cna/karol-nawrocki-wins-polish-presidential-election-with-catholic-values-platform">Source link </a></p>
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Karol Nawrocki Wins Polish Presidential Election With Catholic Values Platform| National Catholic Register
