As Kraków prepares for new leadership following the successful recall of Aleksander Miszalski, recent polling reveals a stark contrast between the city’s local sentiments and the broader preferences of the Polish public.
Divergent Views on the Presidency
A recent survey conducted for “Wprost” highlights that the national perspective on Kraków’s potential mayoral candidates differs significantly from the views of local residents. Marian Banaś and Bartosz Bocheńczak have already declared their intent to run, while former PO MP Łukasz Gibała, who lost the 2024 runoff to Aleksander Miszalski, is also considering a bid.
According to an OGB poll from April 2026, local residents favor Gibała, who could secure over 35 percent of the vote in the first round.
National Polling Results
In an SW Research poll of Poles nationwide, Andrzej Duda topped the list with 11.4 percent, followed by Grzegorz Braun (8.4 percent), Bogdan Klich (4.8 percent), Marian Banaś (4.3 percent), Łukasz Gibała (4.2 percent), Bartosz Bocheńczak (2 percent), and Michał Drewnicki (1.8 percent). Notably, 52.4 percent of respondents expressed no opinion, suggesting a significant portion of the public remains disengaged from Kraków’s local politics.
Separate polling indicates that 59.2 percent of Poles oppose a return to active politics for Andrzej Duda, with only 23 percent supporting the idea.
The Recall of Aleksander Miszalski
On May 24, Kraków residents voted in a referendum to remove Mayor Aleksander Miszalski from office. With a 29.99 percent turnout, 176,228 citizens voted, resulting in 97.93 percent of valid votes cast in favor of his recall.
Miszalski has stated that he accepts the decision, though he expressed regret over the outcome. He indicated that Commissioner Kracik will manage the city during this transition to prevent instability. Miszalski also suggested that his administration’s messaging was ultimately undermined by the more effective, if manipulative, narrative of his political opponents.