Since winning power back from the hands of his populist rivals a year and a half ago, Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk has faced one very stubborn roadblock to his plans: the country’s president.

Poland’s presidential election will determine whether the country can restore the rule of law and remain a reliable partner in the European Union after nearly a decade of divisive right-wing populist rule.

A Nawrocki win could solidify Poland as America’s staunchest European ally, continuing the shift of Europe’s center of gravity from Berlin to Warsaw. On May 1, 2025, Karol Nawrocki, a Polish civic presidential candidate backed by the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party,