Warsaw, 3 June 2025 (dpa/MIA) - Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Monday in a televised address that he intended to soon call a vote of confidence in parliament following Sunday's close presidential election.

Describing it as the first test of his coalition's resolve, Tusk said his government's agenda under the new president would require "unity and courage" from the three-party alliance.

Tusk has led a center-left coalition since late 2023.

Conservative Karol Nawrocki won a knife-edge vote against his opponent, liberal candidate and Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski in Sunday's runoff election.

Nawrocki, who represents the nationalist conservative Law and Justice party PiS, garnered 50.89% of the vote, while Trzaskowski, who had Tusk's support, won 49.11%.

Nawrocki's election is likely to complicate Tusk's efforts to push through his pro-EU government's policies, as Nawrocki represents the rival conservative party and as president will have the power to veto legislation.

Tusk: 'We will not retreat one step'

"According to the constitution and our conscience, we will cooperate with the new president wherever necessary and possible," Tusk said.

At the same time, he made clear: "Everyone will see that the government has no intention of retreating even one step."

In Poland, the president holds a five-year term and has broad powers, including representing the country abroad, shaping foreign policy, appointing the prime minister and the Cabinet, and serving as commander-in-chief of the armed forces in the event of war.

The president also has the power of veto over legislation that has passed through parliament - a power used on several occasions by outgoing President Andrzej Duda, who like Nawrocki represents PiS.

The central objective of Tusk's administration is to repair the damage to the rule of law caused by the PiS-led government, which held power from 2015 to 2023, and overhauled the judiciary in ways widely seen as undermining judicial independence.

Key legislative efforts have been blocked by outgoing president Duda, a PiS ally.

Nawrocki is expected to continue, or even intensify, this obstruction, potentially straining the coalition and exposing internal divisions.