Polish prime minister's party picks Warsaw mayor as its candidate for president

WARSAW, Poland -- Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski has been selected by Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s centrist Civic Coalition as its candidate in next year's presidential election, beating out Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski.

Tusk announced the decision at a party gathering on Saturday, a day after more than 22,000 party members voted in a primary to select who should run to replace the incumbent, Andrzej Duda.

Tusk said Trzaskowski won nearly 75% of the votes, and Sikorski slightly over 25%.

Political observers in Poland say Tusk's pro-European Union party has already put itself in a strong position ahead of the presidential election by showing that it had two strong candidates, generating a buzz around them and allowing party members to choose in a democratic process.

“We are responsible people, we are responsible for the fate of our homeland today,” Tusk told supporters at the party event. He said it was only the start of what is expected to be a difficult campaign.

The primary process distinguishes Tusk's party from its main rival, the national conservative Law and Justice party, known by its acronym PiS, whose candidate will be handpicked by leader Jarosław Kaczyński. The candidate is expected to be announced at a party convention in Krakow on Sunday.

“In PiS, one vote matters, while we value every vote, and that’s how we differ,” Trzaskowski told party members in his acceptance speech. “I’m convinced that we’re coming out of this primary stronger, we’re all stronger, and I have a very strong mandate and a lot of energy, determination and courage to beat PiS.”

Sikorski congratulated Trzaskowski and promised his support.

Trzaskowski has long been considered the obvious candidate for Tusk’s party but was recently challenged by Sikorski, who argued that his experience in security and defense issues made him the better choice at a time of war in neighboring Ukraine and political change in the United States.

But party members overwhelmingly stuck with Trzaskowski — and were in a good mood as they gathered over coffee and cookies after cheering the outcome.

One, Małgorzata Kobus, told The Associated Press that she voted for Trzaskowski because he has been an excellent mayor, preserving green spaces and historical monuments in the capital. She also appreciates that he is highly educated and fluent in several foreign languages.

Another, Hanna Szulczewska, thinks Trzaskowski is well suited to the difficult times in a region near Ukraine. She was persuaded by polls that show Trzaskowski would have a better chance of beating out candidates from other parties.

“I am really convinced that he will make a fantastic president,” she said. “And strategically we really need a strong candidate.”

Trzaskowski, 52, has been mayor since 2018 and has overseen a rapidly changing city of nearly 2 million people that has absorbed large numbers of Ukrainian refugees. He ran for president in 2020, barely losing to Duda.

A first round of the presidential election is due to be held in May, and a possible runoff two weeks later if no candidate gets an outright majority in the first round.

President Duda will complete his second five-year term in August 2025 and is prevented by the constitution from running again.

It is a priority for Tusk to have an ally win the presidency because it will determine whether he can fulfill his agenda. He is currently unable to complete some of his campaign promises because Duda wields veto power over legislation, but also because of opposition within his own three-party coalition.

The Civic Coalition is led by Tusk’s party Civic Platform and also includes smaller parties including the Greens.