Poland's main opposition party, the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS), picked historian Karol Nawrocki on Sunday as its candidate for next year's presidential election, hoping to hold onto the presidency after losing control of parliament.

The presidential election will be a make-or-break moment for the government led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

The announcement was made at a party convention in the southern Polish city of Krakow. It came a day after the main governing party, Civic Coalition of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, announced that it was fielding progressive Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski as its candidate.

Poland's ruling centrists picked liberal Warsaw mayor Rafal Trzaskowski as their candidate on Saturday for next year's presidential vote, in hopes of regaining control of the post that is crucial to justice reforms required by the European Union.

Poland’s biggest opposition party Law & Justice picked Karol Nawrocki to run in next year’s presidential election in a bid to hold on to the role as a counterweight to Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government.