Poles will be electing their next head of state as incumbent Andrzej Dudas second term expires

The Polish presidential election is underway in what will likely be a tight contest pitting critics of the EU against those supporting deeper integration. A runoff will be held on June 1 if no candidate secures a majority in Sunday's first round.

Around 29 million eligible voters will be choosing the successor to President Andrzej Duda from a field of 13 candidates. According to the latest opinion polls, three contenders have emerged as frontrunners.

Emerging as the frontrunner is Warsaw mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, who is aligned with Prime Minister Donald Tusk's Civic Coalition. A pro-European candidate and advocate of judicial reform, Trzaskowski narrowly lost the last presidential election to Duda five years ago. He is seen as the most pro-Ukrainian contender, though he has pledged to cut some social benefits to Ukrainian nationals.

Karol Nawrocki, backed by the Law and Justice party and running on a conservative platform, is polling second. He strongly opposes what he calls left-wing ideologies and has criticized EU migration and climate policies. Nawrocki rejects Ukraine's accession to the EU and NATO and is against financial support for refugees, though he backs continued military aid to Kiev.

Slawomir Mentzen, an economist from the right-leaning Confederation Liberty and Independence party, is currently polling in third place. Mentzen is prominent on social media, especially TikTok, where he has criticized EU regulations on car emissions and home heating, arguing they undermine Polish sovereignty. He has also condemned the government's refugee policy, claiming it strains public resources.

Public sentiment toward Ukrainian refugees has shifted significantly of late. Media reports claim a growing numbers of Poles now support having them returned home. The issue has become prominent in the campaigns of several of the leading candidates.

The official results are expected on Monday, although exit polls will be released shortly after voting ends at 9 p.m. local time on Sunday.

(RT.com)