WARSAW, Poland — Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Monday he would ask parliament to hold a vote of confidence in his coalition government after his ally lost a presidential runoff.
The result of the weekend election leaves Mr. Tusk politically weakened, and there are questions about whether his multiparty coalition can survive to the end of its term in late 2027.
If he survives the confidence vote, it would show he still has a mandate to govern.
It is not clear when the confidence vote might take place.
Conservative Karol Nawrocki won Poland’s weekend presidential runoff election with 50.89% of the vote in a very tight race against liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, who received 49.11%.
The race had Poland on edge since a first round of voting two weeks earlier revealed deep divisions in the country along the eastern flank of NATO and the European Union.
The outcome suggests that Poland can be expected to take a more populist and nationalist path under its new president, who was backed by U.S. President Trump.
Mr. Trzaskowski conceded defeat and congratulated Mr. Nawrocki on Monday, thanking all those who voted for him. “I fought for us to build a strong, safe, honest, and empathetic Poland together,” he wrote on X. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to convince the majority of citizens of my vision for Poland. I’m sorry we didn’t win together.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was among the leaders offering their congratulations to Mr. Nawrocki on Monday morning, an acknowledgment of Poland’s key role as a neighbor, ally and hub for Western weapons sent to Kyiv.
He called Poland “a pillar of regional and European security,” and said, “by reinforcing one another on our continent, we give greater strength to Europe in global competition and bring the achievement of real and lasting peace closer. I look forward to continued fruitful cooperation with Poland and with President Nawrocki personally.”
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who shares Mr. Nawrocki’s national conservative worldview, hailed Mr. Nawrocki’s “fantastic victory.”
Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen offered measured congratulations, emphasizing continued EU-Poland collaboration rooted in shared democratic values: “We are all stronger together in our community of peace, democracy, and values. So let us work to ensure the security and prosperity of our common home.”
Most day-to-day power in the Polish political system rests with a prime minister chosen by the parliament. However, the president’s role is not merely ceremonial. The office holds the power to influence foreign policy and to veto legislation.
Mr. Nawrocki will succeed Andrzej Duda, a conservative whose second and final term ends on Aug. 6.
Under the Polish constitution, the president serves a five-year term and may be re-elected once.
Mr. Nawrocki has most recently been the head of the Institute of National Remembrance, which embraces nationalist historical narratives. He led efforts to topple monuments to the Soviet Red Army in Poland, and Russia responded by putting him on a wanted list, according to Polish media reports.
Mr. Nawrocki’s supporters describe him as the embodiment of traditional, patriotic values. Those who oppose secular trends, including LGBTQ+ visibility, have embraced him, viewing him as a reflection of the values they grew up with.
His candidacy was clouded by allegations of past connections to criminal figures and his participation in a violent street brawl. He denies the criminal links but was unapologetic about the street fight, saying he had taken part in various “noble” fights in his life. The revelations did not seem to hurt his support among right-wing voters, many of whom see the allegations as politically motivated.
Mr. Trump made it clear he wanted Mr. Nawrocki as Poland’s president.
He welcomed Mr. Nawrocki to the White House a month ago. And last week the conservative group CPAC held its first meeting in Poland to give Mr. Nawrocki a boost. Kristi Noem, the U.S. Homeland Security Secretary and a prominent Trump ally, strongly praised Mr. Nawrocki and urged Poles to vote for him.
The U.S. has about 10,000 troops stationed in Poland and Ms. Noem suggested that military ties could deepen with Mr. Nawrocki as president.
