The outcome of Poland's presidential election is uncertain, with the second round set for June 1. (Agence France-Presse, Warsaw, June 18) Poland held its presidential election today, a closely contested race that will determine the future of the centrist government as well as abortion rights and LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) rights.
According to polls, pro-European Union Warsaw Mayor Jozef Kornel Szczesny Kosinski is expected to receive 30% of the vote, leading nationalist historian and Law and Justice Party (PiS) candidate Krzysztof Nawrocki's 25%.
This scenario would see both candidates advance to the runoff on June 1, a time when Europe is particularly tense due to Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, the rise of far-right populists, and pressure on relations between Poland and Washington.
Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. this morning and will close at 9 p.m., with exit poll results expected soon after. Thirteen candidates are running, and final results are expected to be announced tomorrow.
Since taking office in 2023, Prime Minister Donald Tusk's coalition government has seen most of its major initiatives vetoed by nationalist President Andrzej Duda.
Some Poles hope this deadlock will end soon.
The key to this election may lie in whether the voters of far-right candidate Mateusz Meczen, who stands third in the polls with around 12%, will support Nawrocki in the second round.
Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1832450340344971/
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