Poland votes in tight presidential election between pro-EU candidate and nationalist rival

Voters successful Poland person been casting their ballots successful the country's statesmanlike predetermination - with the result believed to beryllium connected a knife-edge.

Warsaw politician Rafal Trzaskowski, who is simply a wide pro-EU candidate, is battling blimpish historiographer Karol Nawrocki, who draws inspiration from Donald Trump and his Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement.

The ballot is being intimately watched successful neighbouring Ukraine arsenic good arsenic successful Russia, the European Union and the United States.

The effect volition mean Poland either cements its spot successful the EU's mainstream oregon takes a much nationalist way similar MAGA.

Mr Trzaskowski, from the ruling centrists Civic Coalition (KO), has a constrictive pb successful the sentiment polls implicit Mr Nawrocki, who is backed by the right-wing Law and Justice enactment (PiS). But the pb is wrong the borderline of error.

How bash the candidates differ?

Mr Trzaskowski has said beardown ties with some Brussels and Washington DC are captious for his country's security, but Mr Nawrocki, who met President Trump successful the White House successful May, puts relations with the US first.

Both candidates hold that Poland has to proceed supporting Ukraine successful its combat against Russia's full-scale penetration that started successful February 2022.

But portion Mr Trzaskowski sees Ukraine's aboriginal NATO rank arsenic cardinal for Poland's security, his predetermination hostile precocious said helium would not ratify it arsenic president, arsenic this could gully the confederation into a warfare with Russia.

Mr Trzaskowski, 53, has vowed to reconstruct judicial independence, easiness termination restrictions, present civilian partnerships for LGBT couples, and beforehand amended ties with European partners.

Mr Nawrocki, 42, has positioned himself arsenic a defender of accepted Polish values, sceptical of the EU and aligned with US conservatives.

His supporters judge Mr Trzaskowski, with his pro-EU views, would manus implicit power of cardinal Polish affairs to larger European powers similar France and Germany.

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What happened successful the archetypal round?

The run-off follows a tightly contested archetypal circular connected 18 May, successful which Mr Trzaskowski won conscionable implicit 31% portion Mr Nawrocki got astir 30%, arsenic 11 different candidates were knocked out.

With blimpish President Andrzej Duda completing his 2nd and last term, the caller president volition person important power implicit whether Prime Minister Donald Tusk's centrist authorities tin transportation retired its agenda.

Parliament holds astir of the powerfulness successful Poland - but the president tin veto laws.

The polls are owed to adjacent astatine 9pm section clip (8pm UK time), with exit polls coming retired soon after.

The electoral committee has said it hopes the last results volition beryllium announced connected Monday greeting oregon the afternoon.