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Karol Nawrocki, a Polish conservative Catholic who has established a friendly relationship with President Donald Trump, narrowly won the country’s presidential election Monday, securing 50.89% of the vote in a hard-fought race against liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski.
Nawrocki’s victory signals a major shift toward pro-life policies and traditional values in Poland, drawing support from US conservatives.
CatholicVote’s Joshua Mercer celebrated the win, stating, “Karol Nowrocki looks very promising for Poland. CatholicVote was instrumental in 2024 in assembling a coalition of Catholics for Trump. We were happy last month to sign a letter of agreement with more than 60 organizations in Poland in support of Catholics for Nawrocki.”
“We wish him well and think there are many common areas in which we can work together,” he added, “from protecting unborn life and promoting religious freedom to pushing back against global elites that threaten national sovereignty.”
Throughout his campaign, Nawrocki emphasized his commitment to Poland’s sovereignty and cultural heritage, pushing back against progressive European integration efforts.
Last month, he met with Trump in the Oval Office, signaling strong ties between the two leaders.
Meanwhile, US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem expressed public support for Nawrocki days before the election, urging Poles to vote for him. She praised his tough border policies while criticizing “socialists” like Trzakowski.
According to Fox News, Nawrocki’s victory also raises questions about the viability of Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s centrist government, signaling a potential comeback for the Law and Justice Party, which governed Poland from 2015 to 2023 before ceding power to Tusk’s coalition. Tusk has reportedly pushed to loosen abortion restrictions and advance civil partnership laws for same-sex couples — measures blocked by the president’s veto authority.
Nawrocki is set to succeed Andrzej Duda when his term ends August 6. Under Poland’s constitution, the president is elected to a five-year term and can be re-elected once.
