Rafał Sonik poised as joint KO‑PSL candidate for Kraków mayor

Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that, should an agreement be reached with the deputy prime minister, the Civic Coalition (KO) and the Polish People’s Party (PSL) will unveil a joint candidate for the post of Kraków mayor on Monday. Media monitoring by RMF FM indicates that businessman and rally driver Rafał Sonik is the leading contender for the coalition’s ticket. Sonik, a former Dakar winner and multiple‑time FIM World Rally Champion, would be an outsider to politics, aligning with Tusk’s desire to present a non‑political figure. The selection comes after a May referendum ousted incumbent mayor Aleksander Miszalski, triggering a requirement to hold new elections within 90 days. Other names mentioned in party talks include senators, former ministers and members of parliament, but Sonik is the only name repeatedly cited as the probable KO‑PSL nominee.