The election of a Trump ally in Poland could alter EU and Ukraine policies

By VANESSA GERA Associated Press WARSAW Poland AP Poland has elected Karol Nawrocki a conservative historian and staunch nationalist as its next president in a closely watched vote that signals a resurgence of right-wing populism in the heart of Europe Nawrocki who is set to take office on Aug is expected to shape the country s domestic and foreign program in strategies that could strain ties with Brussels while aligning the Central European nation of nearly million people more closely with the administration of President Donald Trump in the United States Here are specific key takeaways Conservative populism on the rise Nawrocki s achievement underscores the enduring appeal of nationalist rhetoric among about half of the country along the eastern flank of NATO and the European Union and its deep social divisions The -year-old historian who had no previous political experience built his campaign on patriotic themes traditional Catholic values and a vow to defend Poland s sovereignty against the EU and larger European nations like Germany A woman prepares to cast her vote during the presidential electoral process runoff in Warsaw Poland Sunday June AP Photo Czarek Sokolowski His win also reflects the appeal of right-wing nationalism across Europe where concerns about migration national sovereignty and cultural identity have led to surging help for parties on the right even the far right in new times Far-right candidates did very well in Poland s first round of voting two weeks earlier underlining the appeal of the nationalist and conservative views Nawrocki picked up plenty of of those votes As his supporters celebrate his win those who voted for the defeated liberal candidate Warsaw Mayor Rafa Trzaskowski worry that it will hasten the erosion of liberal democratic norms Poland remains a deeply divided country reported Jacek Kucharczyk the president of the Polish Institute of Community Affairs Although the electoral turnout was highest ever in history of presidential elections Mr Nawrocki s margin of conquest is very small which means that half of Poland will be cheering his presidency whereas half of Poland the other half remains deeply worried or even disturbed he added Prime Minister Donald Tusk s troubles Nawrocki s presidency presents a direct challenge to Prime Minister Donald Tusk who returned to power in late pledging to mend relations with the EU and restore judicial independence which Brussels reported was eroded by Law and Justice the party that backed Nawrocki But Tusk s coalition a fragile alliance of centrists leftists and agrarian conservatives has struggled to push through key promises including a civil union law for same-sex couples and a less restrictive abortion law Nawrocki who opposes such measures will have the power to veto measure complicating Tusk s agenda and potentially triggering political gridlock Ties with the Trump administration Nawrocki s voting could signal a stronger relationship between Poland and the Trump administration Poland and the U S are close allies and there are U S troops stationed in Poland but Tusk and his partners in the past have been critical of Trump Nawrocki however has a worldview closely aligned with Trump and his Make America Great Again ethos Trump welcomed Nawrocki to the White House a month ago and his administration made clear in other means that he was its preferred candidate A shifting focus on Ukraine While Nawrocki has voiced encouragement for Ukraine s defense against Russian aggression he does not back Ukrainian membership in NATO and has questioned the long-term costs of aid particularly aid for refugees Presidential candidate Karol Nawrocki second right poses with his wife Marta Nawrocka second left and daughter Katarzyna at a polling station during the presidential electoral contest runoff in Warsaw Poland Sunday June AP Photo Czarek Sokolowski His rhetoric has at times echoed that of Trump for instance by accusing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of what he noted was insufficient gratitude for Poland s assistance With growing community fatigue over helping Ukrainian refugees Nawrocki s approach could shift Poland s posture from strong ally to conditional partner if the war drags on much longer Ties with the EU The electoral contest aftermath is a setback for the EU which had welcomed Tusk s return in as a signal of renewed pro-European engagement Related Articles The present day in History June Queen Elizabeth II crowned Ukraine drone strikes attack deep inside Russia Currently in History June priceless recordings destroyed in Universal Studios fire Lucas Rough landing for French president In current times in History May the Tulsa Race Massacre begins This is very bad news for the European Union as well as Poland s key European partners both Germany and France as well as Ukraine explained Kucharczyk the analyst Mr Nawrocki is well known for his Eurosceptic stand He s opposed to deepening European integration and European cooperation He is also opposed to Ukraine s NATO membership he added Nawrocki and the Law and Justice party have criticized what nationalists view as EU overreach into Poland s national affairs especially regarding judicial reforms and migration agenda While the president does not control day-to-day diplomacy Nawrocki s symbolic and veto powers could frustrate Brussels efforts to bring Poland back into alignment with bloc standards particularly on rule-of-law issues Sector jitters Though an EU member Poland has its own currency the zloty which weakened slightly on Monday morning reflecting investor concerns over likely strategy instability and renewed tensions with EU institutions Billions of euros in EU funding has been linked to judicial reforms which Tusk s authorities will now be unlikely to enact without presidential cooperation AP s video journalist Rafal Niedzielski in Warsaw Poland contributed to this document