Rudolph Angler Poland’s conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party has selected historian Karol Nawrocki as its candidate for the 2025 presidential election, aiming to regain political momentum after losing power in 2023. The election will determine the successor to President Andrzej Duda, whose second and final term concludes in August 2025.
Nawrocki, 41, has served as the head of the Institute of National Remembrance since 2021, a state institution dedicated to documenting and researching World War II and communist-era crimes. Previously, he was director of the Museum of the Second World War in Gdansk, his birthplace.
“I am ready to become your president,” Nawrocki declared to supporters in Krakow. “I have been with you all my life, understand your needs, and stand by you. Poland must be great to defend itself.” His speech emphasized patriotism, pro-Christian values, NATO alignment, and support for U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.
The choice of Nawrocki mirrors PiS’s strategy in 2015, when it fielded the relatively unknown Andrzej Duda, who went on to secure a surprise victory. The party bypassed veteran politicians, including former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, to nominate Nawrocki. Party leader Jarosław Kaczyński explained that a non-partisan, independent figure was preferred, avoiding potential liabilities tied to corruption scandals during PiS’s 2015–2023 administration.
Kaczyński had earlier outlined the desired traits of the party’s candidate: “young, tall, impressive, handsome, family-oriented, fluent in English, and internationally savvy.” Nawrocki’s profile aligns with this vision.
The announcement came as Poland’s other major party, the Civic Coalition, revealed its candidate, Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, a progressive politician and former presidential contender. While other candidates, such as Parliament Speaker Szymon Hołownia (Poland 2050) and far-right Sławomir Mentzen (Confederation), are also in the race, the election is expected to be a duel between Nawrocki and Trzaskowski.
PiS faces significant challenges heading into the presidential race, including weakened public support and financial constraints following state sanctions for campaign finance violations in the 2023 parliamentary elections. The party’s eight-year tenure in power (2015–2023) and subsequent controversies may also weigh on voters’ minds.
Under Poland’s constitutional rules, the first round of the election will take place in May 2025, with a runoff scheduled two weeks later if no candidate secures over 50% of the vote in the initial round.