<P> Lech Wałęsa Solidarity </P> <P> Presidential elections were held in Poland on 25 November 1990, with a second round on 9 December . They were the first direct presidential elections in the history of Poland, and the first free presidential elections since the May Coup of 1926 . Before World War II, presidents were elected by the Sejm . From 1952 to 1989--the bulk of the Communist era--the presidency did not exist as a separate institution, and most of its functions were fulfilled by the State Council of Poland, whose chairman was considered the equivalent of a president . </P> <P> The leader of the Solidarity movement, Lech Wałęsa, won the first round . However, he did not earn over 50% of the vote, which led to a runoff election . Wałęsa faced Polish - Canadian businessman Stanisław Tymiński in the second round, defeating him easily . </P> <P> Wałęsa was an electrician and union leader with the image of an emotional, shirtsleeves populist . The first non-communist prime minister, Tadeusz Mazowiecki, was very popular and widely considered a front - runner . He appeared as a more respectable and intellectual leader than Wałęsa . but also as more of a compromiser . However, in the first round, Mazowiecki finished in a distant third, with only 18.7 percent of the vote, well behind Tymiński . </P>

Who became the president of poland in 1990