Karol Nawrocki to be sworn in as Poland’s next president on August 6

Karol Nawrocki, Poland’s newly elected president, is set to officially take office on August 6, marking the end of incumbent President Andrzej Duda’s second and final term.

The transition date is in line with constitutional requirements, as Duda's five-year term, which began on August 6, 2020, concludes precisely five years later.

The timeline for the presidential handover was confirmed by the Polish Press Agency (PAP). It follows the official announcement of the election results on June 2 by the State Electoral Commission.

From that day, voters have a 14-day window — until June 16 — to submit any legal challenges to the Supreme Court, contesting the legitimacy of the election. Once all objections have been reviewed, the Supreme Court must rule on the validity of the election within 30 days, meaning by July 2 at the latest. The decision will be based on the electoral commission’s report and the outcome of any submitted protests.

According to Polish law, the president-elect must take the oath of office before the National Assembly on the final day of the outgoing president’s term. This means Nawrocki will be sworn in on August 6, and from that moment, he will officially assume the presidency as Duda steps down.

The election itself was tightly contested. After all ballots were counted from 100% of precincts, Nawrocki, who was backed by Poland’s right-wing opposition, emerged victorious with 50.89% of the vote, narrowly defeating his centrist rival, Rafał Trzaskowski, who garnered 49.11%.

While the results are now official, the next few weeks are still procedurally crucial, as Poland’s judicial authorities prepare to give their final stamp of legitimacy to one of the most closely fought presidential elections in recent years.

By Tamilla Hasanova