WARSAW, Poland — In a strategic move to boost its standing following a defeat last year, Poland’s conservative Law and Justice party has officially named historian Karol Nawrocki as its presidential candidate for the election scheduled next year. This announcement follows a weekend where both of the nation’s largest political parties revealed their contenders for the upcoming presidential race, which will determine the successor to the current president, Andrzej Duda. Duda, who has served two terms, is set to finish his presidency in August 2025.

Karol Nawrocki, age 41, has been at the helm of the Institute of National Remembrance since 2021, an organization focused on documenting and researching the injustices stemming from World War II and the communist era in Poland. Nawrocki has a distinguished background, having previously led the Museum of the Second World War in Gdansk, the city where he was born.

The announcement of Nawrocki’s candidacy was made during a party convention held in Krakow, a key city in southern Poland. This news emerged just a day after the Civic Coalition, led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, declared its own candidate: progressive Warsaw Mayor Rafa? Trzaskowski.

While various candidates from different parties are anticipated to enter the fray, the primary contest is likely to be centered around Nawrocki and Trzaskowski. The Law and Justice party, which held power from 2015 until 2023, is expected to encounter significant challenges at the ballot box due to recent difficulties concerning state funding. Earlier this year, the state electoral authority ruled that the party had breached campaign finance regulations during the 2023 parliamentary elections, resulting in a substantial financial penalty that could hamper its electoral resources.

According to the constitutional schedule, the first round of the presidential election is set to take place on a Sunday in May 2025; however, an exact date has yet to be decided. Should no candidate secure at least 50% of the votes in this initial round, a runoff will be conducted between the two candidates who receive the most votes, occurring two weeks later.

Other notable candidates have also made their intentions clear, including Szymon Ho?ownia, the speaker of parliament and head of the Poland 2050 party. Additionally, the far-right Confederation party has confirmed that S?awomir Mentzen will represent them in the election.