Liberal pro-EU candidate Rafal Trzaskowski appears set to narrowly win Poland’s presidential election, according to an exit poll.
The Warsaw mayor was up against conservative historian Karol Nawrocki, who draws inspiration from Donald Trump and his Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, and he won 50.3% of votes.
Mr Nawrocki was second with 49.7%, the Ipsos poll showed.
The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points and the final vote is likely to change somewhat.
The electoral commission has said it hopes the final results will be announced on Monday morning or the afternoon. The final outcome will decide whether Poland pivots towards more liberal norms or takes a more nationalist path.
Mr Trzaskowski, 53, has promised to ease abortion restrictions, restore judicial independence and promote constructive ties with European partners.
At an event in Warsaw after the exit poll announcement, he arrived on stage as a crowd chanted his name.
“We won,” Mr Trzaskowski told supporters, before vowing to be a president for all Poles, including those who did not vote for him.
Meanwhile, his 42-year-old opponent said he believes the vote will turn in his favour. “We must win tonight,” he said.
Karol Nawrocki addresses his supporters. Pic: AP
Mr Nawrocki had positioned himself as a defender of traditional Polish values, aligning himself with US conservatives including Mr Trump and showing scepticism towards the EU.
The vote has been closely watched in neighbouring Ukraine as well as in Russia, the European Union and the United States.
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Poland’s new president will have significant influence over whether the country’s centrist government can fulfil its agenda, given the presidential power to veto laws.
This runoff follows a tightly-contested first round of voting in May, which saw Mr Trzaskowski win just over 31% and Mr Nawrocki nearly 30%, eliminating 11 other candidates.
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