Poland is set to hold the first round of its presidential election on 18th May, as announced by the parliament speaker on Wednesday, in what will be critical for the pro-European government's ability to advance its agenda.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk's coalition came to power with a promise to reverse the judicial reforms implemented by the previous Law and Justice (PiS) government, which critics argued weakened the rule of law.

That said, the government's efforts have been hindered by President Andrzej Duda, an ally of the PiS, who has the authority to veto laws. Duda's term ends this year, but if a PiS-backed candidate wins, the political deadlock is likely to persist, Reuters reports.

Critics, including the European Union, argue that PiS politicised the processes for appointing and disciplining judges during its time in power. PiS defends its reforms, claiming they were essential to eliminate lingering communist influence in the judicial system.

The 2025 election will see a contest between Rafal Trzaskowski, the liberal Warsaw Mayor and candidate of Tusk's Civic Coalition (KO), and Karol Nawrocki, a historian and conservative head of Poland's Institute of National Remembrance, who is supported by PiS. 

If no candidate secures more than 50% in the first round, a second-round run-off will take place on 1st June.

The election campaign will unfold during Poland's six-month presidency of the European Union, with Warsaw stressing the need to strengthen Europe's defence capabilities, a topic that has broad support across the country's political spectrum. 

Trzaskowski, who lost narrowly to Duda in the 2020 election, is currently leading in the polls. The government hopes his progressive reputation will help the party tap into the anti-PiS sentiment among young voters, a key factor that helped bring it to power. 

However, Nawrocki’s campaign has been gaining momentum. The 41-year-old has headed the Institute of National Remembrance since 2021, concentrating on analysing documents from the Communist era. Nawrocki has never previously held or sought public office, MSN reports.

Polish media reports suggest that PiS chairman Jarosław Kaczyński sees Nawrocki's lack of political experience as an advantage.

Kaczyński aims to replicate the success of 2014, when he nominated the largely unknown European Parliament member Duda as the PiS presidential candidate.