Łukasz Gibała has won Kraków’s mayoral election with 62.12% of valid votes, defeating Monika Piątkowska, the candidate backed by two parties in Poland’s governing coalition. Official results released on Monday, 12 October, confirmed a decisive victory for the founder of the local Kraków for Residents movement, following a snap election triggered by the referendum removal of the city’s previous mayor.
Gibała received 161,184 votes in Sunday’s second round, compared with 98,306 for Piątkowska, who was supported by Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s Civic Coalition (KO) and the Polish People’s Party (PSL).
Turnout reached 44.27%, according to the City of Kraków’s announcement of the electoral commission’s official figures. Results were reported from all 454 polling precincts.
- Find more news from Poland on our Homepage .
Gibała is now mayor-elect. He is scheduled to take the oath of office at a Kraków City Council meeting on 21 October, while acting mayor Stanisław Kracik remains in charge until then.
Official results confirm a decisive victory
The certified figures give Gibała a margin of 24.24 percentage points over Piątkowska. Unlike the exit polls released after voting closed on Sunday evening, these figures reflect the completed count across Kraków.
| Candidate | Valid votes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Łukasz Gibała | 161,184 | 62.12% |
| Monika Piątkowska | 98,306 | 37.88% |
The Polish Press Agency’s report on the full election data confirms the vote totals, turnout and the candidates’ party backing.
In the first round on 27 September, Gibała received 36.38% of the vote and Piątkowska 29.91%. The final result therefore shows that the local movement’s candidate increased his lead considerably in the runoff.
A new leader after the previous mayor’s removal
The early election became necessary when Kraków residents voted in a referendum on 24 May to remove then-mayor Aleksander Miszalski, a Civic Coalition politician, before the end of his term.
Miszalski’s administration had faced disputes over local transport policies, parking, environmental measures and city finances. The recall created the vacancy that led to September’s first round and Sunday’s runoff.
Gibała stood under the banner of Kraków dla Mieszkańców (Kraków for Residents), a local political organisation. Piątkowska, a senator, had support from KO and PSL, two parties in the national governing coalition.
The result represents an electoral setback for the coalition-backed candidate in one of Poland’s largest cities. Its significance should nevertheless be understood in the context of Kraków’s local disputes and the earlier referendum, rather than treated as a direct measure of nationwide party support.
When will Gibała take office?
The newly elected mayor is due to take his oath during a City Council session at 11am on Wednesday, 21 October, in the council chamber, according to the municipality’s official inauguration schedule.
Until then, Stanisław Kracik will continue serving as the city’s acting mayor.
The Municipal Electoral Commission’s declaration also starts the statutory period for eligible voters and election representatives to submit electoral protests to the Kraków Regional Court, according to the commission chairman’s explanation reported by PAP.
Gibała’s administration will inherit decisions affecting public transport, local spending, development and services in a city that is both a major university centre and one of Poland’s best-known international tourism destinations.
How the exit polls compared
Sunday evening’s exit polls correctly indicated that Gibała was heading for victory, but their estimates were not the final result. Ipsos put him on 61% against 39% for Piątkowska, while OGB projected 64.1% against 35.9%.
Editor’s update, 12 October 2026: The X post embedded below was published on election night and reflects the preliminary exit-poll estimates available at that time. The official figures are 62.12% for Gibała and 37.88% for Piątkowska, as reported above.
With the count completed, Gibała has secured the mandate to become Kraków’s next mayor. The formal transfer of office is expected at his swearing-in on 21 October.
