Liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski and a conservative historian, Karol Nawrocki, emerged as the front-runners in Poland’s presidential election Sunday, according to an exit poll, putting them on track to face off in a second round in two weeks.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and his allies have less than two weeks to convince voters to stick with their ruling coalition after a surge in support for nationalists in a presidential election.

Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski and nationalist Karol Nawrocki are set for a run-off in Poland's presidential election. Preliminary results show Trzaskowski leading slightly, with both candidates preparing to appeal to voters.

Rafal Trzaskowski leads Poland’s presidential race, heads to run-off with Karol Nawrocki as no candidate wins outright majority.

The election will decide whether Donald Tusk's government can implement reforms that have been stymied by conservative President Andrzej Duda since the government was elected about 18 months ago. DW has more.

Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski narrowly led Poland’s presidential election on May 18, according to exit polls, but failed to secure an outright victory. He will face conservative Karol Nawrocki in a second-round runoff on June 1.

Nationalism remains the defining matter of European politics as these elections have presented referendums on the populist movements gaining traction in the Old World.

Historian Karol Nawrocki, running as independent with the backing of radical right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party, might have come second in last night’s first round of presidential election in Poland but a very strong showing by the far-right seems to offer him momentum to clinch the presidency in the run-off vote on June 1.