Poland set for nail-biting showdown in presidential run-off

The presidential run-off election in Poland this weekend is set to be a very tight race, with surveys released on Friday showing the two candidates separated by a razor-thin margin.

A survey commissioned by the Onet portal shows liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski in the lead with 50.1% of the vote, followed closely by right-wing conservative Karol Nawrocki with 49.9%.

Another survey, commissioned by the Wirtualna Polska portal came to a different conclusion, putting Nawrocki narrowly ahead with 50.63% of the vote and Trzaskowski with 49.37%.

Sunday's election promises to have a decisive impact on Poland's future course and its relationship with the European Union.

A win for pro-European Trzaskowski, who belongs to Prime Minister Donald Tusk's Civic Coalition, would allow Tusk to push ahead with his reformist agenda.

Nawrocki, meanwhile, comes from the conservative nationalist Law and Justice party, like the incumbent President Andrzej Duda, who has blocked many of the government's legislative projects with his veto power.

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

Polling stations close at 9 pm (1900 GMT) on Sunday. While preliminary estimates will be available shortly afterwards, their margin of error is greater than the difference between the two candidates in the polls.

The official result is expected on Monday.