Poland votes on May 18: Key presidential candidates and how the election works

presidential candidate, Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski and his wife Malgorzata (Image credits : Reuters)

Poland will go for elections first round of a presidential election on May 18 as the President Andrzej Duda nears the end of his second and final term. The election is a critical moment for the pro-European government, as it seeks to advance its reformist agenda.

In this race, liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, a prominent figure in the ruling Civic Platform party (PO), faces off against historian Karol Nawrocki, head of Poland's Institute of National Remembrance, and far-right candidate Slawomir Mentzen.

Let's have a closer look at the dynamics of the elections.

Election process 

Voters will elect the president for a five-year term using a two-round system. If no candidate secures over 50% in the first round, a runoff will take place between the top two contenders on June 1.

Presidents are limited to two terms, with President Duda's second term ending on August 6. Polling stations will be open from 7 a.m. (0500 GMT) to 9 p.m. on May 18, with around 29 million eligible voters. Exit polls will be released shortly after voting concludes, and partial results will begin to emerge later in the evening and continue into Monday.

Who are the candidates? 

• Rafal Trzaskowski: Political ally of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, leads in the polls with over 30% support, ahead of his conservative nationalist rivals. Praised for his pro-European stance and his role in modernizing Warsaw, he faces challenges in a predominantly conservative, Catholic Poland.

His liberal views, including support for LGBTQ+ rights and Pride parades, alienate voters outside urban areas. He’s also criticized for local governance issues, including real estate controversies and perceived inefficiency.

In a potential runoff, Trzaskowski might struggle with right-wing voters uniting behind his opponent, while centrists and progressives may feel disillusioned by Tusk’s unfulfilled promises, including loosening Poland’s abortion law.

This is his second attempt at the presidency after narrowly losing to Duda in 2020. His proposals include boosting defense spending to 5% of GDP, liberalizing abortion laws, and strengthening Poland's role in the EU.

• Karol Nawrocki: At 42, historian Karol Nawrocki is backed by the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party, which lost power to Tusk's coalition in 2023. Nawrocki, currently leading the Institute of National Remembrance, previously ran the Museum of the Second World War in Gdansk, shaping it with a national conservative perspective.

He supports reducing taxes, withdrawing from the EU's Migration Pact and Green Deal, and opposing expanded rights for LGBT couples. Like Trzaskowski, he advocates allocating 5% of GDP to defense.Nawrocki's candidacy, presented as a fresh face by PiS, has faced controversies, including the revelation of a book he published under a pseudonym and allegations regarding an apartment deal with an elderly pensioner, which he denies.

• Slawomir Mentzen:  Far-right candidate Sławomir Mentzen, 38, is a tax advisor and entrepreneur known for his social media presence and appeal to younger voters. He leads the Confederation party and advocates major tax cuts, withdrawal from the European Green Deal, limited involvement in the Ukraine war, and national sovereignty over EU laws.

Mentzen’s hardline stances—such as opposing abortion even in rape cases and calling for tuition fees at public universities—have drawn criticism.

Controversial past remarks and provocative beer branding have added to his polarizing image. In 2024, he revealed he is autistic, noting it helps his focus but affects emotional perception. He is currently polling third.

• Szymon Hołownia: A former TV presenter who entered politics with a fresh, centrist appeal. After finishing third in the 2020 presidential race, he founded the Poland 2050 movement, now part of the ruling coalition.

As speaker of the Sejm, Hołownia brought energy and transparency to parliamentary proceedings. His platform focuses on regional development, public transport, affordable housing, and reducing bureaucracy. While once seen as an outsider, joining Tusk’s coalition has slightly tempered that image.

• Other candidates:  Three left-wing candidates are in the race, led by 43-year-old Deputy Senate Speaker Magdalena Biejat, known for advocating women's and minority rights.

Adrian Zandberg, 45, leader of the Razem party. Joanna Senyszyn, 76, a former communist-era lawmaker, is also running.

Among fringe candidates are far-right MP Grzegorz Braun, notorious for extinguishing Hanukkah candles in parliament, and 42-year-old YouTuber Krzysztof Stanowski, who is campaigning without a platform, aiming to spotlight the election process and support charities.

Form of government 

Poland operates as a unitary semi-presidential representative democracy, with the president serving as head of state and the prime minister acting as head of government.