A total of 171,581 people, nearly 98 percent of those who cast ballots, voted to remove Mayor Aleksander Miszalski, triggering an early election to be held within 90 days.
Miszalski, who represented Tusk's ruling Civic Coalition (KO), faced criticism over the city's rising debt, alleged cronyism, broken campaign promises, controversial clean transport policies, higher ticket prices and extended paid parking hours.
The referendum became valid after turnout reached 29.99 percent, surpassing the required threshold of 26.98 percent, officials said.
The city council was not recalled, however, after turnout fell short of the required threshold, state news agency PAP reported.
Miszalski's four deputies also lost their posts as a result of Sunday's vote.
The city will now be administered by a commissioner appointed by the prime minister within seven days, pending new elections.
'The mayor has been recalled'
"The mayor has been recalled," Justyna Habrajska, chair of the Municipal Referendum Commission, told reporters, adding that the decision would take effect the day after the official results are announced.
During the recall campaign, Miszalski announced a series of concessions in an effort to retain office, including changes to the clean transport zone, the cancellation of Sunday parking fees in the city centre and cuts to bonuses for managers at city-owned companies.
He acknowledged that introducing the clean transport zone had been a mistake, though he argued that his administration had delivered many important projects.
In a social media post before the official results were announced, Miszalski thanked residents and said the campaign had been "an important lesson."
"Local democracy is precisely about residents having the final say," he wrote, acknowledging that some of his decisions had cost him public trust.
The recall initiative was led by a citizens' group headed by Jan Hoffman, chairman of Kraków's Old Town district council, and received support from opposition politicians.
Critics accused Miszalski of mishandling the introduction of the clean transport zone, increasing city debt, engaging in cronyism and failing to deliver on campaign promises.
Former Supreme Audit Office (NIK) head Marian Banaś and businessman Bartosz Bocheńczak of the far-right Confederation party have already announced plans to run in the early mayoral election.
'Personal defeat' for PM?
Opposition Law and Justice (PiS) deputy leader Przemysław Czarnek said on Monday that the referendum result marked a "personal defeat" for Tusk and predicted broader political changes across Poland.
The right-wing PiS party has not yet announced whether it will field a candidate in the upcoming election.
Miszalski won Kraków’s 2024 mayoral election, defeating rival Łukasz Gibała by about 2 percentage points in the runoff vote.
(jh-ał/gs)
Source: PAP