Poland’s presidential run-off well run and intensely contested amid increased polarization, including in media and online, international observers say

WARSAW, 2 June 2025 – Yesterday’s presidential run-off in Poland was competitive and well managed, but the longstanding polarization between the country’s two main political camps and media bias contributed to an intensely contested campaign amidst ongoing controversies over the independence of some key electoral oversight institutions, international observers said in a statement today.

The joint observation mission from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) concluded that as in the first round, the freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly were respected ahead of the presidential run-off. While the campaign became increasingly confrontational as both candidates competed for the votes of a divided and ideologically fragmented electorate, the use of inflammatory and intolerant messaging declined noticeably ahead of the second round. In the absence of explicit rules or legislation, there was no clear separation between campaigning and the activities of public officials, and no efforts were made to prevent or stop such practices.

“The entire campaign exposed the depth of Poland’s political polarization and societal divisions, underscoring the need for an inclusive dialogue that involves the whole society,” said Dunja Mijatović, head of the ODIHR observation mission. “Political leaders must now further strengthen the trustworthiness and accountability of Poland’s democratic institutions for the benefit of all citizens. Genuine democracy should not be a zero-sum game, it is a shared responsibility.”

While the authorities maintained their efforts to protect the election process from disinformation and foreign interference, these efforts were weakened by insufficient co-ordination as well as limited and contradictory public communication about the measures taken. The effectiveness of responses by the social networks continued to vary significantly, resulting in a high share of flagged content remaining unaddressed on some platforms.

“The high voter turnout in the second round of the presidential election, both domestically and abroad, reflects the strong commitment of Polish citizens to the strength and quality of their democracy,” said Iulian Bulai, head of the PACE delegation. “Voters were presented with a real choice between political alternatives in an open environment. They were able to make informed decisions despite a highly polarised media landscape, manipulative rhetoric and existing vulnerabilities, which should be addressed to further strengthen the integrity of the electoral process.”

Inadequate campaign finance regulations enabled the frequent involvement of third parties, reducing accountability and the integrity of the process. Overall, the election administration managed the election professionally and efficiently. Election day itself was calm and the process was well organized and professional, but as for the first round, the secrecy of the vote was often not ensured.

Media polarisation together with biased coverage by the majority of media outlets, including the public broadcaster, limited voters’ access to impartial information. The only televised debate between the two candidates ahead of the second round was characterised by an absence of any effective moderation, allowing it to be used as a platform for mutual accusations rather than offering a meaningful comparison of political programmes.

At the same time, concerns continued about the lack of independence of the supreme court chamber established in 2018 that is responsible for validating election results. This controversy has lowered public trust in the judiciary.

The international election observation to the Polish presidential election totalled 42 observers from 24 countries, consisting of 34 ODIHR-deployed experts and long-term observers, and 8 parliamentarians and staff from PACE.

Media contacts:

Katya Andrusz, ODIHR: +48 609 522 266 or katya.andrusz@odihr.pl

Sylvie Affholder, PACE: +33 7 60 19 75 05 or sylvie.affholder@coe.int