Poland Hosted A Debate Between The Two Finalists In The Presidential Race
- 24.05.2025, 8:52
Among the main topics are Ukraine and the border with Belarus.
On Friday, May 23, 2025, Poland hosted a presidential debate between two candidates, Rafał Trzaskowski from the Civic Coalition and Karol Nawrocki from Law and Justice (PiS). The debate lasted two hours and focused on key domestic and foreign policy issues, especially those related to Ukraine and relations with the European Union and migration.
The debate was unique in that the candidates themselves asked each other questions in six blocks on health, international politics, economics, social policy, security and worldview, tvp.info.
Debate highlights
Ukraine Support and Security: Both candidates expressed support for Ukraine in its war with Russia. However, their approaches differed. Trzaskowski stressed the importance of continued military aid to Ukraine and rebuked Nawrocki for his criticism of EU plans to boost defense, calling his position "language favorable to Putin."
Nawrocki said Poland should rely on the United States for its security, as 10,000 U.S. troops are stationed in the country. He praised the Law and Justice government, which has provided military aid to Ukraine since the war began.
Ukraine's future in NATO: Nowrocki said that as president of Poland he would not sign a document admitting Ukraine to the alliance. The Right and Justice candidate emphasized that Ukraine's accession to NATO is not on the agenda yet, as Kiev needs to carry out reforms.
Economic issues: Both candidates expressed concern over the import of cheap agricultural goods from Ukraine, as they could hit Polish farmers.
Trzaskowski asked the Right and Justice candidate how he feels about the tariffs that Trump wants to impose against the EU. Nowrocki assured that he managed to build a personal relationship with the US president during his visit to Washington, and after his trip, the White House lifted restrictions for Poland on microchips. Trzaskowski assured that the decision was made before the PiS candidate's trip to the US.
Nawrocki rebuked the Civic Coalition candidate for his adherence to the "green policy", which led to a rise in the price of electricity in the country.
Migration policy became an important topic of discussion, especially in the context of attacks on Poland's border with Belarus. Nowrocki rebuked Trzaskowski because while Law and Justice was building a fence on the border with Belarus during the attacks by illegal immigrants that began in 2021, some Civic Coalition politicians criticized the ruling party for "brutality on the border." Trzaskowski said that "the border fence was a hole" and it was the current government that made Poland's borders secure.
Trzaskowski said Poland should remain open to refugees, particularly Ukrainians fleeing the war. He said Poland has a duty to Ukraine and its people, and should continue to offer asylum to those in need of protection. However, the Civic Coalition candidate also emphasized that migration policy should be balanced and take into account the interests of the country.
We recall that the first round of the presidential election in Poland was held on May 18. Rafal Trzaskowski, the candidate from the "Civic Coalition" won the first round with a minimal margin of victory - 31.36%, the second was the candidate from the "Law and Justice" Karol Nawrocki, who gained 29.54%. The second round will be held on June 1. The newly elected president must take the oath of office by August 6, 2025.