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Presidential elections will be held in Poland on 18 May 2025. If no candidate secures more than 50% of the vote, a second round will be held on 1 June 2025. [1] Incumbent president Andrzej Duda is ineligible for re-election.
The president is elected for a five-year term using the two-round system; if no candidate receives a majority of the vote in the first round, a run-off is held between the top two candidates. Presidents serve a five-year term and can be re-elected once. The second term of Andrzej Duda expires on 6 August 2025, and the president-elect will take the oath of office on that day, before the National Assembly (a joint session of Sejm and Senate).
In December 2023 as a result of the 2023 Polish parliamentary election, Donald Tusk's cabinet, comprising of Civic Coalition, Poland 2050, the Polish People's Party, and the New Left, began governing the country. Tusk's coalition does not have enough votes to bypass the presidential veto, for which it would need 276 votes. [2]
Since Tusk's rise to power, steps have been taken to deregulate the economy, cut welfare spending and balance the budget. In February 2025, Tusk invited billionaire Rafał Brzoska and Google CEO Sundar Pichai [3] to deregulate the Polish economy and cut labor regulations. Tusk's proposal of Brzoska has led to media labelling him as the "Polish Elon Musk". [4] [5] [6] Tusk has been accused of granting Google a monopoly over the Artificial Intelligence sector in Poland via his investment agreements with Pichai. [7]
The social policy of Tusk's cabinet has been seeking to expand abortion rights. In July 2024, the Sejm held a vote to decriminalize abortion. However, with a defection of a large section of the Polish People's Party against the government line, the vote failed and the Sejm ruled to keep abortion illegal, with 218 votes against and 215 for decriminalization. [8]
Name | Born | Campaign | Last position/job | Party | Endorsed by | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
18 January 1974 (51) Suwałki, Podlaskie | ![]() | Lecturer at the Collegium of Socio-Economics of the Warsaw School of Economics | Independent [9] | ||||
11 January 1982 (43) Warsaw, Mazovia | ![]() | Deputy Marshal of the Senate (2023–present) Member of the Sejm (2019–2023) Senator (2023–present) | Independent | The Left | |||
11 March 1967 (58) Toruń, Kuyavia–Pomerania | ![]() | Leader of the Confederation of the Polish Crown (2019–) Member of the Sejm (2019–2024) MEP for Lesser Poland (2024–present) 2015 presidential election candidate | Confederation of the Polish Crown | Congress of the New Right [13] | |||
KORWiN [13] [c] | |||||||
PolExit | |||||||
Real Europe Movement | |||||||
3 September 1976 (48) Białystok, Podlaskie | ![]() | Marshal of the Sejm (2023–present) Member of the Sejm (2023–present) Leader of Poland 2050 (2021–present) 2020 presidential election candidate | Poland 2050 | Third Way
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30 April 1959 (65) Warsaw, Mazovia | ![]() | Leader of Federation for the Republic (2018–present) Member of the Sejm (2015–2019, 2023–present) 2020 presidential election candidate Entrepreneur and brewer | Federation for the Republic | Free Republicans
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30 August 1970 (54) Włocławek, Kuyavia-Pomerania | ![]() | Leader of RDiP (2023–present) Journalist, youtuber | Independent | Prosperity and Peace Movement | |||
20 November 1986 (38) Toruń, Kuyavia–Pomerania | ![]() | Chairman of New Hope (2022–present) Member of the Sejm (2023–present) Entrepreneur and tax advisor | New Hope | Confederation
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3 March 1983 (42) Gdańsk, Pomerania | ![]() | President of the Institute of National Remembrance (2021–present) Director of the Museum of the Second World War (2017–2021) Chairman of the Siedlce District Council in Gdańsk (2011–2017) | Independent | United Right | |||
United Beyond Boundaries [16] | |||||||
1 February 1949 (76) Gdynia, Pomerania | ![]() | Member of the Sejm (2001–2009, 2019–2023) MEP for Lesser Poland (2009–2014) | Independent | Democratic Left Association [17] | |||
21 July 1982 (42) Warsaw, Mazovia | ![]() | Journalist, youtuber Kanał Zero and KTS Weszło owner | Independent | ||||
17 January 1972 (53) Warsaw, Mazovia | ![]() | Mayor of Warsaw (2018–present) Vice-Chairman of the Civic Platform (2020–present) 2020 presidential election second round | Civic Platform | Civic Coalition
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Alliance of Democrats [18] | |||||||
17 December 1978 (46) Kąkolewnica, Lublin | ![]() | Leader of the Bezpartyjni Samorządowcy (2024–present) | Bezpartyjni Samorządowcy [19] | Social Alternative | |||
Labour Party [20] | |||||||
Slavic Union [20] | |||||||
4 December 1979 (45) Aalborg, Denmark | ![]() | Co-leader of Partia Razem (2022–present) Member of the Sejm (2019–present) | Partia Razem |
Group of citizens willing to register a candidate in the election must establish an electoral committee (Polish : komitet wyborczy) of at least 15 members, and submit a notice to the National Electoral Commission supported with 1,000 citizens' signatures. [32] To register a candidate, an electoral committee must present to the PKW 99,000 more endorsement signatures. [33] On 11 April 2025, the following committees and candidates have applied for registration: [34] [35] [36]
Candidate | Status | Date | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Sławomir Mentzen (KWiN) | Candidate registered | 3 February |
2 | Rafał Trzaskowski (KO) | Candidate registered | 17 March |
3 | Grzegorz Braun (KKP) | Candidate registered | 10 March |
4 | Szymon Hołownia (TD) | Candidate registered | 24 March |
5 | Adrian Zandberg (Razem) | Candidate registered | 24 March |
6 | Wiesław Lewicki (NK) | Candidacy rejected | 9 April |
7 | Maciej Maciak (RDiP) | Candidate registered | 9 April |
8 | Magdalena Biejat (Lewica) | Candidate registered | 31 March |
9 | Marek Woch (BS) | Candidate registered | 31 March |
10 | Marek Jakubiak (K’15) | Candidate registered | 4 April |
11 | Karol Nawrocki (PiS) | Candidate registered | 21 March |
12 | Wojciech Papis (B) | Notice accepted | |
13 | Romuald Starosielec (RNP) | Candidacy rejected | 11 April |
14 | Paweł Tanajno (PL!SP) | Candidacy rejected | 11 April |
15 | Dawid Jackiewicz (ind.) | Candidacy rejected | 9 April |
16 | Aldona Skirgiełło (SRP) | Notice accepted | |
17 | Dominika Jasińska (ind.) | Notice accepted | |
18 | Joanna Senyszyn (SLD) | Candidate registered | 31 March |
19 | Krzysztof Tołwiński (FRONT) | Notice accepted | |
20 | Eugeniusz Maciejewski (PIAST-JMENiŚ) | Notice accepted | |
21 | Katarzyna Cichos (ind.) | Notice accepted / withdrew [d] | 8 March |
22 | Piotr Szumlewicz (ind.) | Notice accepted | |
23 | Jan Kubań (ind.) | Notice accepted | |
24 | Włodzimierz Rynkowski (ZS) | Notice accepted | |
25 | Marcin Bugajski (ind.) | Notice accepted | |
26 | Jolanta Duda (ind.) | Notice accepted | |
27 | Artur Bartoszewicz (ind.) | Candidate registered | 17 March |
28 | Kamil Całek (ind.) | Notice accepted | |
29 | Krzysztof Andrzej Sitko (AS ) | Notice accepted / withdrew [e] | 29 March |
30 | Jakub Perkowski (FdR ) | Notice accepted | |
31 | Sebastian Ross (ind.) | Notice accepted | |
32 | Marta Ratuszyńska (DR) | Notice accepted | |
33 | Stanisław Żółtek (KNP) | Notice accepted / withdrew [f] | 20 March |
34 | Krzysztof Stanowski (ind.) | Candidate registered | 11 April |
35 | Robert Śledź (PIN) | Notice accepted | |
36 | Adam Nawara (PL!SP) | Notice accepted | |
37 | Grzegorz Kołek (ind.) | Notice accepted | |
38 | Tomasz Ziółkowski (ind.) | Notice accepted | |
39 | Roman Jackowski (ind.) | Notice accepted | |
40 | Piotr Daniel Lechowicz (KWiN) | Notice accepted | |
41 | Robert Więcko (ind.) | Notice accepted | |
42 | Zbigniew Litke (ind.) | Notice accepted | |
43 | Grzegorz Niedźwiecki (ind.) | Notice rejected | |
44 | Maria Leśniak-Wojciechowska (RNP) | Notice rejected | |
45 | Katarzyna Łysik (ind.) | Notice accepted | |
46 | Dariusz Eligiusz Staszczak (ind.) | Notice rejected | |
47 | Artur Szostak (P3) | Notice rejected | |
48 | Andrzej Jan Kasela (ind.) | Notice accepted | |
49 | Krzysztof Kaszewiak (ind.) | Notice rejected | |
50 | Zbnigniew Józef Burzyński (WiS) | Notice rejected | |
51 | Mieczysław Eugeniusz Sendecki (ZS) | Notice rejected | |
52 | Sławomir Grzywa (SS) | Notice rejected | |
53 | Krzysztof Olaf Samberger (ind.) | Notice rejected |
Sławomir Mentzen was the first candidate to begin an electoral campaign on 31 August 2024, drawing criticism and accusations of illegality from politicians of other parties for its early start. [37] Marshal of the Sejm Szymon Hołownia from the Poland 2050 party declared his candidacy on 13 November. [38] The Civic Coalition selected its candidate in a presidential primary on 22 November after Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski challenged presumptive nominee, Mayor of Warsaw Rafał Trzaskowski, who was the Civic Coalition's 2020 presidential candidate. [39] Following the Civic Coalition primary, Institute of National Remembrance chairman Karol Nawrocki was endorsed by the Law and Justice party on 24 November as an officially independent candidate, as he never belonged to any political party. [40]
Speculation swiftly began on whether PiS would replace Nawrocki when it was revealed that he had contact with a future criminal as part of his time as a boxer two decades prior, for which he was constantly attacked by opposing politicians. [41] Polling showed, however, that the vast plurality of people did not expect Nawrocki to be replaced. [42]
PiS launched the "Electoral Protection Movement" (Polish : Ruch Ochrony Wyborów), operated primarily by former Minister of Education Przemysław Czarnek, [43] with the intention of safeguarding the democratic conduct of the election and protecting it from electoral fraud, stating that the governing majority is already altering and manipulating electoral law. [44] [45]
During the campaign, both Trzaskowski and Nawrocki campaigned along the right wing of politics; Trzaskowski proposed to limit welfare programs for non-working Ukrainian refugees [46] which was proposed in the Sejm by Law and Justice on 20 January to "check" the genuinity of Trzaskowski's proposal, [47] meanwhile Nawrocki accused the ruling coalition of sexualizing children, demonstratively throwing a copy of Gender Queer: A Memoir into a paper shredder. [48]
On 13 February 2025, Nawrocki was endorsed by Solidarity - Poland's largest trade union - as he, amongst other promises, pledged not to raise the age of retirement (in contrast to Prime Minister Tusk raising it by 2 years for men and 7 years for women during his first tenure [49] ) and defending the minimum wage. [50] At the party conference on 2 March, Nawrocki declared the election a "referendum on rejecting Tusk". [51]
Journalist Krzysztof Stanowski, himself a candidate, held interviews with the other candidates. [52] Several debates were organized: TVP, TVN, and Polsat declared they will jointly hold a debate of all the candidates. [53] TV Republika announced a debate on 14 April, inviting all candidates registered at the time except for Marek Woch, though Trzaskowski and Magdalena Biejat declined the invitation. [54]
On 14 March 2024, the President appointed a new composition of the National Electoral Commission (PKW), selected by the Sejm in December 2023. While Sylwester Marciniak remained the chairman of the PKW, a position he held since 11 February 2020 and Wojciech Sych as his deputy, seven other members were recommended by different parties in parliament: KO recommended Konrad Składowski and Ryszard Balicki , PiS recommended Mirosław Suski and Arkadiusz Pikulik , PSL recommended Maciej Kliś , PL2050 recommended Paweł Gieras , and Lewica recommended Ryszard Kalisz. [55] [56]
On 29 August, the PKW ruled 5:3 [57] to penalize PiS by refusing to return 10.8 million PLN for 36 million designated to it via party subsidy, alleging the party misused 3.6 million PLN of their provided campaign funds in the 2023 parliamentary election. [58] Despite PiS appealing the decision to the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court issued no verdict within the 60-day deadline. The party appealed to its members and supporters for financial aid in donations. [59] The PKW tied in a vote on 23 September regarding whether the committee recognizes the Supreme Court as valid considering the ongoing constitutional crisis. [60] Further penalizations by the PKW on 18 November occurred thereafter, with the Commission ruling 5:4 to deprive PiS of its entire 75 million PLN subsidy for the three next years. PiS likewise appealed this decision to the Supreme Court, [61] [62] which the Supreme Court ruled invalid on 11 December, obligating the PKW to return PiS its subsidy. [63] The Commission voted 5:4 to adjourn the meeting on 16 December without recognizing the Supreme Court or its ruling. [64] On 30 December, a re-vote was held on the matter of whether it recognizes the Supreme Court, ruling 4:3 in favor of recognizing its verdict on this matter, and accepting the Supreme Court's decision to return the funds to PiS. [65] [66] Subsequently, the matter was relayed to the Ministry of Finance, in charge of granting subsidies.
In reaction to the ruling, several politicians commented. Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated on X that he does not recognize the PKW positively ruling on granting PiS its subsidy. [67] Marshal of the Sejm Szymon Hołownia stated the need for a compromise that lets Poles decide on a President without the validity of the president-elect's mandate being disputed by different parties. [68] On 8 January 2025 Minister of Finance Andrzej Domański refused to recognize the PKW's ruling affirming PiS is to be granted its subsidy, stating the verdict was written in a "self-contradictory" way. [69] Sylwester Marciniak, the PKW chairman, responded by stating the verdict was written clearly and demanding the Ministry grant PiS its allotted funds. [70] Prime Minister Tusk expressed doubt over the legal validity of the PKW verdict, defending his Minister. [71] A poll suggests 47.1% of Poles (98% of PiS voters, 71% of TD voters, 53% of Lewica voters) support PiS receiving the funds, and 46.9% (85% of PO voters, 80% of Konfederacja voters) are against. [72]
Party [g] | PKW member | Ruling | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
29 August | 23 September | 18 November | 16 December | 30 December | ||||
Independent | Sylwester Marciniak | Abstained | For | Unknown | Against | For | ||
Independent | Wojciech Sych | Against | Unknown | Against | For | |||
KO | Konrad Składkowski | For | For | Abstained | ||||
KO | Ryszard Balicki | For | For | Abstained | ||||
PiS | Mirosław Suski | Against | Against | For | ||||
PiS | Arkadiusz Pikulik | Against | Against | For | ||||
PSL | Maciej Kliś | For | For | Against | ||||
PL2050 | Paweł Gieras | For | For | Against | ||||
Left | Ryszard Kalisz | For | For | Against | ||||
Total | 5:3 [57] | 4:4 [60] | 5:4 [62] | 5:4 [64] | 4:3 [66] |
The second round of the election is expected to be between Trzaskowski and Nawrocki or Mentzen.
Marshal of the Sejm Szymon Hołownia announced the election day on 8 January 2025; [1] the following schedule was approved by the National Electoral Commission on 15 January 2025: [78]
Timeline of the 2025 Polish presidential election | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The results of the election will be published by the National Electoral Commission following their conclusion.
Ci mądrzejsi i orientujący się w zagrożeniach dla Polski piszą albo mówią to co reprezentują Zjednoczeni Ponad Podziałami. Nie mamy wyboru, mimo słabej kampanii Nawrockiego musimy na Niego głosować .
Do 14 lutego zgłoszono, aż 22 kandydatów. W kolejności alfabetycznej są to: Magdalena Biejat (Lewica), Grzegorz Braun (Konfederacja Korony Polskiej), Katarzyna Cichos (Platforma Rozwoju Polski), Szymon Hołownia (Polska 2050), Dawid Jackiewicz, Marek Jakubiak (Wolni Republikanie), Dominika Jasińska, Wiesław Lewicki (Normalny Kraj), Maciej Maciak (Ruch Dobrobytu i Pokoju), Eugeniusz Maciejewski (PIAST - Jedność Myśli Europejskich Narodów i Świata), Sławomir Mentzen (Konfederacja Wolność i Niepodległość), Karol Nawrocki (popierany przez Prawo i Sprawiedliwość), Wojciech Papis (Bezpartyjni), Joanna Senyszyn (Stowarzyszenie Lewicy Demokratycznej)...
[...] rezygnuje z udziału w wyborach prezydenckich. [...] Gdy zarejestrował się Grzegorz Braun [...] uznałem, że mój elektorat całkowicie się rozdrabnia. [...] Dzisiaj życzę jak najlepiej Grzegorzowi Braunowi i go wspieram, choć ma dużą konkurencję [...].[[...] resigning from the presidential election. [...] When Grzegorz Braun registered [...] I recognised that my electorate was completely fragmenting. [...] Today I wish the best for Grzegorz Braun and support him, although he has a lot of competition [...].]
Krzysztof Sitko przekazał swoje poparcie dr Markowi Woch[Krzysztof Sitko conveyed his support to Dr Marek Woch]
O zamiar kandydowania w wyborach prezydenckich generał rezerwy został zapytany w piątek w RMF FM. — Nie jestem zawodowym politykiem (...) Jestem zawodowym oficerem — odparł wojskowy. — Na pewno nie — mówił, dopytywany o jasną deklarację w sprawie startu.[The reserve general was asked about his intention to run in the presidential elections on Friday on RMF FM. "I am not a professional politician (...) I am a professional officer," the military man replied. "Certainly not," he said, when asked about a clear declaration regarding his participation.]
Podczas konferencji kandydatka na Prezydenta RP dr @Kasia_Cichos wyraziła publiczne poparcie dla dr Marka Wocha.