Trzaskowski mostly held firm, but faltered when Hołownia — whose party is part of Tusk’s ruling coalition — criticized his offer to meet Nawrocki one-on-one. In a clumsy stunt, Nawrocki handed Trzaskowski a rainbow flag, suggesting it was closer to Trzaskowski’s heart than Poland’s white-and-red banner. Trzaskowski’s awkward decision to tuck the flag away gave the Left’s Magdalena Biejat an opening.
“I’m not ashamed of it,” she said, getting the flag and displaying it in front of her.
A poll taken after the debate showed Trzaskowski in first place, followed by Nawrocki, Hołownia and Biejat.
The debate format — with no live fact-checking — allowed candidates to skirt uncomfortable questions on defense and security, foreign policy and the economy.
Poland is uneasy about the U.S. commitment to European defense under President Donald Trump, particularly as Trump signals a potential thaw in relations with Russia.
Polling gap
Despite his passable debate performance, Nawrocki still faces a very steep mountain to climb, said Ben Stanley, an associate professor at the Center for the Study of Democracy at the SWPS University in Warsaw.
