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He finished in second behind Warsaw mayor Rafał Trzaskowski in the first round of voting with 29.54% of the vote. However, he defeated Trzaskowski in the second round held on 1 June with 50.89% of the vote. He will be inaugurated as the President of Poland on 6 August 2025.[4]
Early life and education
Karol Nawrocki was born on 3 March 1983, in Gdańsk. His father, Ryszard (1949-2008) was a turner and a member of Solidarity. His mother, Elżbieta was a bookbinder. He has a younger sister named Nina who is avid pastry cook and works in Restarant in Kraków. He completed primary school and the 4th High School in his home city.[5] After passing his final exams (matura) in 2002, he graduated in 2003 from the Post-Secondary School of Business and Administration in Gdańsk with the title of Personnel Management Specialist.[5] In the same year, he began his university studies at Faculty of History at the University of Gdańsk, which he completed in 2008 with a master's degree.[6]
Nawrocki as the director of the Museum of the Second World War during a meeting with Polish diaspora in New Zealand, February 2020
At the same institute, he obtained a PhD in the humanities based on his dissertation titled: Social Resistance to Communist Rule in the Elbląg Voivodeship, 1976–1989.[7][5] In 2023, he completed the International MBA in Strategy, Programme and Project Management postgraduate studies at the Gdańsk University of Technology.[8]
Early career
He worked at the Institute of National Remembrance in the years 2009–2017, heading its Branch Public Education Office in Gdańsk from 2013 to 2017. He also served as the chairman of the Siedlce District Council in Gdańsk between 2011 and 2017.[7]
In 2017, he was appointed the director of the Museum of the Second World War in Gdańsk,[9] a job he held until 2021. He then returned to the Institute of National Remembrance, becoming its deputy president in June 2021.[10] In July 2021, he took office as the head of the Institute of National Remembrance after being elected by the Sejm and approved by the Senate of Poland.[11] Nawrocki is the author or co-author of several books as well as numerous scientific and popular science papers on anticommunist opposition, organised crime in the Polish People's Republic and the history of sports.[citation needed]
Nawrocki has used the pen name "Tadeusz Batyr" to write a book about a gangster living in 1980s communist Poland.[12] Nawrocki in 2018 went on television as Tadeusz Batyr, wearing a hat and having the television broadcast blur his face, where he said that Nawrocki "inspired me" and highlighted how Nawrocki "was the first person to examine organised crime in communist Poland".[12] Meanwhile, on social media, Nawrocki wrote that "Tadeusz Batyr contacted me for some guidance" and "thanked me for my help with an interesting book, which I recommend".[12]
On 1 May 2025, Nawrocki met with Donald Trump in the Oval Office.[17][18] On 22 May 2025, Nawrocki met with Sławomir Mentzen, who placed third in the first round of the election. They reportedly discussed possible concessions that could lead to Mentzen endorsing Nawrocki.[19] Mentzen presented a set of eight points[b] for a candidate to sign onto,[20] which were signed by Nawrocki.[21][22][23] Former candidates Marek Jakubiak, Marek Woch, Grzegorz Braun and Artur Bartoszewicz endorsed Nawrocki for the runoff.[24][25][26][27] On 1 June 2025, Nawrocki won the runoff election with 50.9% of votes, beating Trzaskowski, who received 49.1% of votes.[28][29] Nawrocki's campaign's platform was described as "patriotic, pro-Christian, pro-NATO, pro-Western, and pro-Donald Trump".[30]
Controversies
Speculation began on whether PiS would replace Nawrocki when it was revealed that he had contact with a future criminal during his time as a boxer two decades prior, for which he was attacked by opposing politicians.[31] Polling showed, however, that the vast plurality of people did not expect Nawrocki to be replaced.[32] Nawrocki would continue being PiS' presidential candidate going into the first round and would face further controversies about his private life. Nawrocki accused the ruling coalition of "sexualising children", demonstratively throwing a copy of the cover of Gender Queer: A Memoir into a paper shredder.[33]
At the party conference on 2 March, Nawrocki declared the election a "referendum on rejecting Tusk",[34] which would remain a theme throughout the campaign. During the course of the campaign, public criticism emerged over Nawrocki's acquisition of a second apartment from an elderly man in pre-trial detention. As Nawrocki had declared to own just one apartment during a debate, Onet publicised information about him owning a second one. The candidate proceeded to declare that he had acquired the second apartment from the elderly man for pledging lifelong care in exchange; however, it was revealed the man was placed in a state care facility without Nawrocki's involvement.[35] Amid accusations of exploitation, Nawrocki defended the deal's legality and promised to donate the property to charity.[36]
Throughout the second round, Nawrocki encountered a set of new controversies involving his personal life, beginning with the revelation that he had previously participated in a 70 vs 70 football hooligans' fight (Polish: ustawka) between fans of Lechia Gdańsk and Lech Poznań.[37] Facing criticism, he said that Prime Minister Tusk likewise participated in football hooliganism in his youth, and called the fights "noble battles".[38][39] It also came to light that Nawrocki had Chelsea F.C. and Lechia Gdańsk tattoos on his torso.[40] Further controversies about Nawrocki's personal background emerged due to allegations of him having worked as a bodyguard for prostitutes at the five-star Grand Hotel in Sopot in his youth[41][42][43][44][45] and using a nicotine pouch while on air during a presidential debate,[46][47][48] raising concerns about a possible nicotine addiction.[49][50]
Presidency
Nawrocki is scheduled to be inaugurated president of Poland on 6 August 2025, succeeding Andrzej Duda.
Political views
Nawrocki greeting US President Donald Trump, 1 May 2025
Nawrocki is considered a nonpartisan, but with a conservative outlook.[51] Nawrocki describes himself as a "representative of the broadly defined patriotic camp", and stresses that he has never belonged to a political party.[52] He considers himself "a civic candidate" that will end the "Polish-Polish war".[53] He declared that he is ready to support "any Polish government that demands the exhumation of Polish victims in Volhynia", and describes issues of history and social accountability as his "demarcation lines".[54]Euronews describes the political alignment of Nawrocki's campaign as "patriotic, pro-Christian, pro-NATO and favourable to president Donald Trump".[30]
He stresses his commitment to promote Polish patriotism, Christian values and national sovereignty, and has declared the need to defend traditional social values.[57] He has stated his strong opposition to removal of crosses from state buildings.[58] He holds anti-communist views, and has criticised the Polish education system, claiming that Polish education is controlled by the "post-communist party environment". He was responsible for removing several Red Army monuments in Poland, considered a criminal act by Russia, which put him on its national wanted list. He has described cursed soldiers as national heroes of Poland and praised Law and Justice for implementing a National Remembrance Day in their honour.[57]
Nawrocki's program has been described as economically interventionist,[60] or economically left-wing.[61] Nawrocki describes himself as a strong supporter of armaments and social investment programmes. In a speech in which he accepted Law and Justice's endorsement for his candidacy, Nawrocki pledged to abolish all overtime labor tax and to focus on large economic investments; he strongly supports the Central Communication Port project, and praised the Central Industrial Region and Stocznia Gdynia schemes developed in the interwar Second Polish Republic.[62] Nawrocki expressed his fascination with other large investments such as the Vistula Spit canal and Świnoujście LNG terminal, and wants to pursue similar undertakings.[63]
Nawrocki calls for "a welfare state with zero VAT on food".[64] He supports welfare programmes and opposes adopting the Euro as Poland's currency.[65] He stresses the lack of transport in Poland and has pledged to develop rail infrastructure in underdeveloped regions of the country.[66] Nawrocki proposes to enact an additional tax on the owners of three and more apartments, with an exemption for families with children.[67] His other proposals include abolishing tax on savings and increasing the annual indexation of pensions.[68] He also expressed welfare chauvinist views - believing that Poles are "treated worse in their own country than immigrants", Nawrocki argues that social benefits in Poland should be for Poles only, and pensions for Ukrainian immigrants should be eliminated; additionally, Polish citizens should have a priority in healthcare, school and kindergarten queues.[69][70]
He objected to the Tusk government's cut in healthcare contributions for businesses and stated that he would oppose any attempt to reduce healthcare funding.[71] Nawrocki also signed a list of 11 pledges, including promises to not raise the retirement age, to uphold worker protections, to defend minimum wages, to retain the ban on Sunday business activity, to promote economic patriotism, and to increase funding for the public health service and agriculture. Based on these pledges, he was endorsed by Poland's Solidarity trade union.[72] Nawrocki supports additional taxes on "digital giants operating online and targeting Polish users" and the expansion of social housing.[73]
He argues that Poland needs to achieve "full energy sovereignty". He supports nuclear energy, describing it as "the most secure and stable one". He also criticised the European Green Deal, stating that while he supports environmental protection, he opposes "climate madness at the expense of Polish homes, workers and entrepreneurs". Nawrocki also believes that Poland needs to ensure its food security and respect "the sovereignty of the Polish countryside"; he has described rural Poland as "the mainstay of Polish culture, traditions and social values".[62] He wishes to implement new policies that will combat "unfair competition" in the Polish economy.[74]
Nawrocki advocated for reducing the value-added tax rate from 23% to 22% during his presidential campaign, as well as an exemption from personal income tax for families with two or more children. He also pledged to veto blanket tax increases.[75][76] He argued that cryptocurrency offers a prospect for innovation, and expressed his opposition to further regulations on investment.[77]
Karol Nawrocki has emphasised in his statements that the geopolitical interest of the Polish state lies in pushing back the Russian Federation.[5] He has stated that "Russia is imperialist in its foundation whether it is white terror, red terror or modern terror".[78] According to him, the foundation of Poland's security is a strong position within NATO and a close alliance with the United States.[5] He also supports regional alliances such as the Bucharest Nine and favours expanding this format to include Sweden and Finland.[5] Nawrocki is an advocate of increasing defense spending and expanding the army to 300,000 troops. However, he opposes conscription or mandatory military training for young men.[5]
Nawrocki opposes the federalisation of the European Union and stresses the need to maintain Polish national identity within the European Union, adding that "Poland does not need a centralised state populated by EU citizens of Polish origin".[74] Nawrocki criticised what he considered to be the overly submissive policy of Donald Tusk's government toward Germany. He advocated for the restoration of a balanced and partnership-based relationship between the two countries.[5] He also demands World War II reparations from Germany for material losses and war crimes committed in occupied Poland.[5]
He supports ending the Russo-Ukrainian War by a peace agreement but argues that the issue of territorial cessions should be decided by the European community as well as Ukraine itself.[78] Nawrocki opposed the deployment of Polish troops to Ukraine. He supported the normalisation of relations with Ukraine on a basis of partnership, as well as the recognition and dignified burial of Polish victims in Volhynia.[5] Nawrocki is opposed to Ukrainian membership in NATO or the European Union until Ukraine accepts responsibility for the genocide of Poles in Volhynia. He has previously denounced attempts to downplay the 1943–1945 massacres of Poles in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia for the sake of improving Polish-Ukrainian relations.[79] He would seek to punish the glorification of Ukrainian nationalist leader Stepan Bandera.[80] He was described as anti-Ukrainian,[81] and when accused of speaking "Putin's language" on Ukraine, he responded: "I speak the language of Polish people. Millions want to say that Zelensky mistreats us, but they're silenced with 'you're spreading Putin's propaganda'."[82]
He was criticised in Israel for downplaying the role of Poles in the Holocaust.[83] Nawrocki said he would defend Poland "against all disgusting attacks" by Holocaust scholars.[84] Poland’s foreign minister, Radosław Sikorski, publicly defended Nawrocki in response to the criticism.[85] During the election campaign, he refrained from criticising Israel.[86]
Personal life
Karol Nawrocki is married to Marta Nawrocka (born in 1986), a graduate of the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Gdańsk and an employee of the National Revenue Administration.[87] She specialises in the control of the oil industry and combating illegal trade. Together, they have two children: son Antoni and a daughter, Katarzyna. They also raised Daniel (born in 2003), Marta Nawrocka's son from a previous relationship.[87] The couple married in 2010, and Karol Nawrocki adopted Daniel.[87]
Daniel Nawrocki studies at the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Gdańsk. He is involved in journalism, working for Gazeta Morska and previously for Dziennik Bałtycki. In 2023, he was appointed a member of the Youth Sports Council under the Minister of Sport. He was also a member of the Youth Council of the City of Gdańsk and now serves as a neighborhood councilor. In 2024, he ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Gdańsk City Council as a candidate of the Law and Justice party.[88]
↑ Beaumont, Adrian (4 June 2025). "South Korea and Poland elections wrap". Poll Bludger. At Sunday's Polish presidential runoff election, Karol Nawrocki, the candidate of the economically left but socially conservative Law and Justice (PiS) defeated Rafał Trzaskowski.
↑ "Nawrocki wins election in Poland — and that's bad news for Ukraine". RBC-Ukraine. 2 June 2025. Meanwhile, in Poland's presidential election, the right-wing conservative head of the Institute of National Remembrance, Karol Nawrocki, claimed victory. Due to his background as a historian, he is known for his sharp anti-Ukrainian statements, particularly on the events of the Volhynia massacre.
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