Tens of thousands join rival rallies in Warsaw as Poland's presidential runoff nears

WARSAW, Poland — Tens of thousands of Poles took part in dueling patriotic marches in Warsaw on Sunday, led by the two men vying for the presidency in a June 1 runoff election which is expected to be both close and consequential for the nation's future.

Many of those who joined Sunday's marches had traveled from across Poland, a country of nearly 38 million people, not just to support a candidate but to rally behind sharply divergent visions for the nation's future.

At the head of one march was Rafał Trzaskowski, 53, the pro-European Union mayor of Warsaw who supports abortion rights and LGBTQ+ inclusion. He is a close political ally of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who has led a centrist coalition government since late 2023.

During a speech to a huge crowd Trzaskowski laid out his vision for a Poland that is inclusive and vowed to work to help develop Polish industry as the nation continues an economic transformation into a regional economic and military power.

In another part of Warsaw, Karol Nawrocki, 42, addressed his supporters. A conservative historian and former boxer, Nawrocki is backed by the national conservative Law and Justice party, which governed Poland from 2015 to 2023. He heads the state-run Institute of National Remembrance, which under Law and Justice became known for promoting nationalist versions of Polish history.

His supporters describe him as the embodiment of traditional, patriotic values — a man who, like U.S. President Donald Trump, promises to restore what they call ''normality.'' Many voiced opposition to abortion and LGBTQ+ rights, saying Nawrocki reflects the values they grew up with.

''I am a Pole who understands the hardships of everyday life,'' Nawrocki told the crowd. ''I stand before you and I am fully convinced that I am your voice.''

‘It's high time for truth'

Earlier this month, the White House released photos of Nawrocki meeting Trump in the Oval Office — a tacit but unmistakable show of support from the U.S. president.

But Nawrocki's candidacy has also been dogged by controversy. Allegations recently surfaced that he swindled an elderly man out of an apartment — claims many of his supporters dismiss as politically motivated.

Reports also emerged that he participated in a brawl involving football hooligans in 2009, something he did not deny, saying in that in his life he took part in ''various forms of noble combat.''

His behavior during a presidential debate on Friday also generated a lot of attention and controversy: at one point Nawrocki appeared to discreetly put something in his mouth. He later said it was a nicotine pouch.

Trzaskowski argued in his speech that Nawrocki was not fit to represent the nation as its president.

''It's high time for truth, honesty to win, for the future to win, and that's exactly what's at stake in these elections,'' Trzaskowski said. ''On June 1, we will all make a decision that may be one of the most important in our lives. A decision that will affect the fate of our children, the fate of our grandchildren.''

Trzaskowski previously ran for president in 2020, narrowly losing to incumbent Andrzej Duda, whose second and final five-year term ends this summer.

Strengthening ties with Europe

The runoff follows a first-round vote on May 18 that narrowed the initial field of 13 candidates to Trzaskowski and Nawrocki. Recent polls show them running neck-and-neck, within the margin of error, making the outcome impossible to predict.

Both men are now courting voters who backed the hard-right libertarian Sławomir Mentzen, who won nearly 15% in the first round.

Trzaskowski supporters believe their candidate would better protect the country's interests by strengthening ties with European partners such as France and Germany. In their view, those alliances are vital to Poland's security, especially in the face of Russia's war in Ukraine and fears that a victorious Russia could seek to reassert control over parts of Central and Eastern Europe.

During its eight years in power, Law and Justice was accused by the European Union of undermining democratic norms, particularly judicial independence and press freedom. Trzaskowski has pledged to support Tusk's efforts to restore the independence of Poland's judiciary — something that the conservative Duda has stymied.

Romanian President-elect Nicusor Dan, a pro-EU centrist who pulled off an upset in Romania's presidential election to beat out a hard-right nationalist, traveled to Warsaw, and joined Trzaskowski's march.