# 2025 Polish presidential election

The first round of the presidential election will be held in Poland on 18 May 2025 and, if necessary, the second round will be held on 1 June 2025. Incumbent president Andrzej Duda is ineligible for re-election.

## Electoral system

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).

## Background
### Tusk's cabinet

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.

#### Economic policy

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 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". Tusk has been accused of granting Google a monopoly over the Artificial Intelligence sector in Poland via his investment agreements with Pichai.

#### Social policy

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.

## Candidate selection
### Registered candidates

| Name | Born | Last position/job | Party | Endorsed by | Endorsed by |
| Artur Bartoszewicz | 18 January 1974 (51) Suwałki, Podlaskie | Lecturer at the Collegium of Socio-Economics of the Warsaw School of Economics | Independent | Independent | Independent |
| Grzegorz Braun | 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 | | KORWiN |
| Grzegorz Braun | 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 |
| Sławomir Mentzen | 20 November 1986 (38) Toruń, Kuyavia–Pomerania | Chairman of New Hope (2022–present) Member of the Sejm (2023–present) | New Hope | | ConfederationNew HopeNational Movement |
| Rafał Trzaskowski | 17 January 1972 (53) Warsaw, Mazovia | Mayor of Warsaw (2018–present) 2020 presidential election second round | Civic Platform | | Civic CoalitionCivic PlatformModernPolish InitiativeThe Greens |

### Declared candidates

| Name | Born | Last position/job | Party | Endorsed by | Endorsed by |
| Magdalena Biejat | 11 January 1982 (43) Warsaw, Mazovia | Deputy Marshal of the Senate (2023–present) Member of the Sejm (2019–2023) Senator (2023–present) | Independent | | The LeftNew LeftPolish Socialist PartyLabour Union |
| Marcin Bugajski [Wikidata] | Świętokrzyskie | Karateka, political scientist | Independent | Independent | Independent |
| Kamil Całek [Wikidata] | 20 June 1986 (38) Wrocław, Lower Silesian | Lawyer, professor, activist | Independent | Independent | Independent |
| Katarzyna Cichos | 28 April 1986 (38) Siemianowice Śląskie, Silesia | City councilor of Siemianowice Śląskie (2014–2017) | Independent | Independent | Independent |
| Jolanta Duda | Chełm, Lublin | | Independent | Independent | Independent |
| Szymon Hołownia | 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 WayPoland 2050Polish People's Party |
| Dawid Jackiewicz | 18 March 1973 (52) Wrocław, Lower Silesia | Minister of State Treasury (2015–2016) | Independent | Independent | Independent |
| Marek Jakubiak | 30 April 1959 (65) Warsaw, Mazovia | Leader of Federation for the Republic [pl] (2018–present) Member of the Sejm (2015–2019, 2023–present) 2020 presidential election candidate | Federation for the Republic [pl] | | Free RepublicansFederation for the RepublicKukiz'15Freedom and Prosperity |
| Dominika Jasińska [Wikidata] | January 1974 (51) Gdynia, Pomerania | Certified NVC trainer and mediator | Independent | Independent | Independent |
| Grzegorz Kołek | 1978 (47) Przyrów, Silesian | social activist | Independent | Independent | Independent |
| Jan Kubań | 16 April 1959 (65) | Chairman of the Polish-American Educational and Developmental Foundation | Independent | Independent | Independent |
| Wiesław Lewicki | 1971 (54) Łodygowice, Świętokrzyskie | Leader of the Normal Country (2015–present) | Normal Country | Normal Country | Normal Country |
| Maciej Maciak | 1970 (55) Włocławek, Kuyavia-Pomerania | Leader of RDiP (2023–present) | Independent | | Prosperity and Peace Movement |
| Eugeniusz Maciejewski | Greater Poland | Leader of PIAST-JMENiŚ | PIAST-JMENiŚ | PIAST-JMENiŚ | PIAST-JMENiŚ |
| Karol Nawrocki | 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) | Independent | | United RightLaw and JusticeRenewal of the Republic of Poland |
| Adam Nawara | 22 January 1983 (42) Gdańsk, Pomeranian | Member of Liberal Poland – Entrepreneurs' Strike | Liberal Poland – Entrepreneurs' Strike | Liberal Poland – Entrepreneurs' Strike | Liberal Poland – Entrepreneurs' Strike |
| Wojciech Papis | 10 October 1965 (59) Bolesławiec, Lower Silesia | Party secretary of Nonpartisans | Nonpartisans | Nonpartisans | Nonpartisans |
| Jakub Perkowski | 23 August 1972 (52) Warsaw, Mazovia | | Federation for the Republic [pl] | Federation for the Republic [pl] | Federation for the Republic [pl] |
| Marta Ratuszyńska | 1978 (47) Kraków, Lesser Poland | Leader of Good Radom (2025–present) | Good Radom | Good Radom | Good Radom |
| Sebastian Ross | 5 May 1973 (51) | Former member of the New Hope | Independent | Independent | Independent |
| Włodzimierz Rynkowski | 2 November 1952 (72) | Leader of the Slavic Union (2022-present) | Slavic Union | Slavic Union | Slavic Union |
| Joanna Senyszyn | 1 February 1949 (76) Gdynia, Pomerania | Member of the Sejm (2001–2009, 2019–2023) MEP for Lesser Poland (2009–2014) | Independent | Independent | Independent |
| Krzysztof Andrzej Sitko | | | Social Alternative | Social Alternative | Social Alternative |
| Aldona Skirgiełło | 27 July 1977 (47) Warsaw, Mazovia | Candidate for Senate in 2019 | Self-Defence of the Republic of Poland | Self-Defence of the Republic of Poland | Self-Defence of the Republic of Poland |
| Krzysztof Stanowski | 21 July 1982 (42) Warsaw, Mazovia | Journalist, youtuber | Independent | Independent | Independent |
| Romuald Starosielec | 21 September 1960 (64) Biała Podlaska, Lublin | Leader of Repair Poland (2023–present) | Repair Poland | Repair Poland | Repair Poland |
| Piotr Szumlewicz | 19 March 1976 (49) Warsaw, Mazovia | Leader of the Alternative Trade Union (2019–present) | Independent | | Alternative Trade Union |
| Robert Śledź | 13 November 1974 (50) Chojnice, Pomeranian | Leader of the Polish National Interest (2024–present) | Polish National Interest | Polish National Interest | Polish National Interest |
| Paweł Tanajno | 17 December 1975 (49) Warsaw, Mazovia | Leader of Liberal Poland – Entrepreneurs' Strike (2021–present) 2015 and 2020 presidential election candidate | Liberal Poland – Entrepreneurs' Strike | Liberal Poland – Entrepreneurs' Strike | Liberal Poland – Entrepreneurs' Strike |
| Krzysztof Tołwiński | 28 February 1968 (57) Siemiatycze, Podlaskie | Vice-Minister of State Treasury (2007) Member of the Sejm (2010–2011) Leader of Front (2023–present) | Front | Front | Front |
| Marek Woch | 17 December 1978 (46) Kąkolewnica, Lublin | Leader of the Bezpartyjni Samorządowcy (2024–present) | Bezpartyjni Samorządowcy | Bezpartyjni Samorządowcy | Bezpartyjni Samorządowcy |
| Adrian Zandberg | 4 December 1979 (45) Aalborg, Denmark | Co-leader of Partia Razem (2022–present) Member of the Sejm (2019–present) | Partia Razem | Partia Razem | Partia Razem |
| Stanisław Żółtek | 7 May 1956 (68) Kraków, Lesser Poland | Leader of Congress of the New Right (2017–present) Leader of PolExit (2019–present) Member of the European Parliament (2014–2019) Vice President of Kraków (1997–1998) 2020 presidential election candidate | Congress of the New Right | Congress of the New Right | Congress of the New Right |
| Stanisław Żółtek | 7 May 1956 (68) Kraków, Lesser Poland | Leader of Congress of the New Right (2017–present) Leader of PolExit (2019–present) Member of the European Parliament (2014–2019) Vice President of Kraków (1997–1998) 2020 presidential election candidate | PolExit | PolExit | PolExit |

### Potential candidates
#### Independents

* Jan Hartman – philosopher and opinion journalist
* Sylwia Spurek – MEP for Greater Poland (2019–2024)

### Declined
#### Civic Coalition

* Radosław Sikorski – lost party primary election to Trzaskowski

#### Labour Union

* Waldemar Witkowski – leader of Labour Union (2006–present), senator (2023–present); resigned from running to endorse Magdalena Biejat.

#### Independents

* Dorota Gawryluk [pl] – journalist
* Lieutenant Colonel Jacek Siewiera – head of National Security Bureau (2022–present)
* General Rajmund Andrzejczak – Chief of the General Staff of Polish Armed Forces (2018–2023)

### Candidate registration

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. To register a candidate, an electoral committee must present to the PKW 99,000 more endorsement signatures. As of 17 March 2025, the following committees and candidates have applied for registration:
Electoral committees :
| | Candidate | Status |
| 1 | Sławomir Mentzen (KWiN) | Candidate registered |
| 2 | Rafał Trzaskowski (KO) | Candidate registered |
| 3 | Grzegorz Braun (KKP) | Candidate registered |
| 4 | Szymon Hołownia (TD) | Notice accepted |
| 5 | Adrian Zandberg (Razem) | Notice accepted |
| 6 | Wiesław Lewicki (NK) | Notice accepted |
| 7 | Maciej Maciak (RDiP) | Notice accepted |
| 8 | Magdalena Biejat (Lewica) | Notice accepted |
| 9 | Marek Woch (BS) | Notice accepted |
| 10 | Marek Jakubiak (K’15) | Notice accepted |
| 11 | Karol Nawrocki (PiS) | Candidacy submitted |
| 12 | Wojciech Papis (B) | Notice accepted |
| 13 | Romuald Starosielec (RNP) | Notice accepted |
| 14 | Paweł Tanajno (PL!SP) | Notice accepted |
| 15 | Dawid Jackiewicz (ind.) | Notice accepted |
| 16 | Aldona Skirgiełło (SRP) | Notice accepted |
| 17 | Dominika Jasińska [Wikidata] (ind.) | Notice accepted |
| 18 | Joanna Senyszyn (ind.) | Notice accepted |
| 19 | Krzysztof Tołwiński (FRONT) | Notice accepted |
| 20 | Eugeniusz Maciejewski (PIAST-JMENiŚ) | Notice accepted |
| 21 | Katarzyna Cichos (ind.) | Notice accepted |
| 22 | Piotr Szumlewicz (ind.) | Notice accepted |
| 23 | Jan Kubań (ind.) | Notice accepted |
| 24 | Włodzimierz Rynkowski (ZS) | Notice accepted |
| 25 | Marcin Bugajski [Wikidata] (ind.) | Notice accepted |
| 26 | Jolanta Duda (ind.) | Notice accepted |
| 27 | Artur Bartoszewicz (ind.) | Candidate registered |
| 28 | Kamil Całek [Wikidata] (ind.) | Notice accepted |
| 29 | Krzysztof Andrzej Sitko (AS) | Notice accepted |
| 30 | Jakub Perkowski (FdR [pl]) | Notice accepted |
| 31 | Sebastian Ross (ind.) | Notice accepted |
| 32 | Marta Ratuszyńska (DR) | Notice accepted |
| 33 | Stanisław Żółtek (KNP) | Notice accepted |
| 34 | Krzysztof Stanowski (ind.) | Notice accepted |
| 35 | Robert Śledź (PIN) | Notice accepted |
| 36 | Adam Nawara (PL!SP) | Notice accepted |
| 37 | Grzegorz Kołek (ind.) | Notice accepted |
| 38 | Tomasz Ziółkowski (ind.) | Notice submitted |
| 39 | Roman Jackowski (ind.) | Notice submitted |

## Campaign
### First round

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. Marshal of the Sejm Szymon Hołownia from the Poland 2050 party declared his candidacy on 13 November. 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. 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. 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. Polling showed, however, that the vast plurality of people did not expect Nawrocki to be replaced. PiS launched the "Electoral Protection Movement" (Polish: Ruch Ochrony Wyborów), operated primarily by former Minister of Education Przemysław Czarnek, 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. 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 which was proposed in the Sejm by Law and Justice on 20 January to "check" the genuinity of Trzaskowski's proposal, meanwhile Nawrocki accused the ruling coalition of sexualizing children, demonstratively throwing a copy of Gender Queer: A Memoir into a paper shredder. On 13 February, 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) and defending the minimum wage. At the party conference on 2 March, Nawrocki declared the election a "referendum on rejecting Tusk".

#### PiS campaign funds

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 [pl] remained the chairman of the PKW, a position he held since 11 February 2020 and Wojciech Sych [pl] as his deputy, seven other members were recommended by different parties in parliament: KO recommended Konrad Składowski [pl] and Ryszard Balicki [pl], PiS recommended Mirosław Suski [pl] and Arkadiusz Pikulik [pl], PSL recommended Maciej Kliś [pl], PL2050 recommended Paweł Gieras [pl], and Lewica recommended Ryszard Kalisz.
On 29 August, the PKW ruled 5:3 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. 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. The PKW tied in a vote on 23 September regarding whether the committee recognizes the Supreme Court as valid considering the ongoing constitutional crisis. 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, which the Supreme Court ruled invalid on 11 December, obligating the PKW to return PiS its subsidy. The Commission voted 5:4 to adjourn the meeting on 16 December without recognizing the Supreme Court or its ruling. 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. 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. 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. 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. Sylwester Marciniak, the PKW chairman, responded by stating the verdict was written clearly and demanding the Ministry grant PiS its allotted funds. Prime Minister Tusk expressed doubt over the legal validity of the PKW verdict, defending his Minister. 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.
| Party | Party | PKW member | Ruling | Ruling | Ruling | Ruling | Ruling |
| Party | Party | PKW member | 29 August | 23 September | 18 November | 16 December | 30 December |
| | Independent | Sylwester Marciniak | Abstained | For | Unknown | Against | For |
| | Independent | Wojciech Sych | Against | Unknown | Unknown | Against | For |
| | KO | Konrad Składkowski | For | Unknown | Unknown | For | Abstained |
| | KO | Ryszard Balicki | For | Unknown | Unknown | For | Abstained |
| | PiS | Mirosław Suski | Against | Unknown | Unknown | Against | For |
| | PiS | Arkadiusz Pikulik | Against | Unknown | Unknown | Against | For |
| | PSL | Maciej Kliś | For | Unknown | Unknown | For | Against |
| | PL2050 | Paweł Gieras | For | Unknown | Unknown | For | Against |
| | Left | Ryszard Kalisz | For | Unknown | Unknown | For | Against |
| Total | Total | Total | 5:3 | 4:4 | 5:4 | 5:4 | 4:3 |

### Second round

The second round of the election is, according to polls, expected to be contested by Nawrocki and Trzaskowski.

## Timeline

Marshal of the Sejm Szymon Hołownia announced the election day on 8 January 2025; the following schedule was approved by the National Electoral Commission on 15 January 2025:
Timeline of the 2025 Polish presidential election :
| Date | Event description |
| until 24 March 2025 | Notifying the National Electoral Commission of setting up election committees for candidates for the Presidency of the Republic of Poland |
| until 31 March 2025 | The appointment of constituency electoral commissions |
| until 4 April 2025 at 16:00 CEST | Submitting to the National Electoral Commission candidates for the Presidency of the Republic of Poland |
| from 4 April 2025 until 15 May 2025 | Submitting by voters requests to:issue the certificate confirming the right to vote in the place of residence on election day,change the voting location,Submitting by soldiers performing basic military service or those performing military training and policemen serving in quarted units, officers of the State Security Service, the Border Guards, the State Fire Service and the Prison Service serving in quarted units, requests to change the voting location |
| from 4 April 2025 until 15 May 2025 | Local voting commissions are to be constitutedForeign voting districts and polling stations abroad are to be announced |
| until 14 April 2025 | Establishment of polling districts in medical facilities, social welfare facilities, penal institutions and detention centers, as well as in extramural departments of these establishments, dormitories and complexes of dormitories, as well as determination of their boundaries, consecutive number, as well as their locations |
| until 18 April 2025 | Providing public information on the consecutive numbers and boundaries of polling districts, as well as location of district electoral commissions, including premises adapted to the needs of disabled persons, as well as the possibility of postal voting and proxy voting,Submission of requests to establish polling districts aboard Polish ships by captains of ships,Nomination of candidates to district electoral commission by agents of election committees |
| from 3 May 2025 until 17 May 2025 at 00:00 CEST | Broadcast without payment of the election programmes, prepared by election committees by means of public radio and television broadcasters |
| Date | Event description |
| until 5 May 2025 | Notice of the intention to vote by correspondence by disabled voters, including by means of overlays on ballot papers in Braille alphabet, and by voters who are 60 years of age or older on the day of voting,notice of the intention to exercise the right to free transportation to the polling station or free return transportation by disabled voters and by voters who are 60 years of age or older on the day of voting, in a commune where on the election day there is no communal passenger transport |
| until 8 May 2025 | Providing public information on the organization of free transportation in communes, rural or urban-rural communes, on the day referred to in the art. 37f § 1 of the Electoral Code |
| until 9 May 2025 | Submitting requests to draw up the power of attorney to vote by disabled voters and those who are 60 years of age or older on the day of voting |
| until 13 May 2025 | Submitting requests to be entered in the roll of voters in polling districts established abroad by voters staying abroad,Submitting requests to be entered in the roll of voters in polling districts established on Polish ships by voters present aboard those ships |
| until 15 May 2025 | Information for disabled voters and voters who are 60 years of age or older on the day of voting, who have noticed of their intention to exercise their right to transportation to the polling station, about the timing of transportation on the voting day. |
| On 17 May 2025 at 00:00 CEST | The electoral campaign is to formally concludeElection silence commences: no political broadcasts, social media posts, or issuing of new physical advertising materials is allowed |
| On 18 May 2025 | The vote takes place between 7:00–21:00 CESTProjected results of the exit poll are announced after 21:00 CEST |

## Results

The results of the election will be published by the National Electoral Commission following their conclusion.