diff --git a/.github/workflows/nightly.yml b/.github/workflows/nightly.yml
index 1a17b99e6a..613f7ada1f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/nightly.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nightly.yml
@@ -76,6 +76,9 @@ jobs:
   nightly_build_python_client:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     if: github.repository == 'apache/polaris'
+    permissions:
+      # IMPORTANT: this permission is mandatory for Trusted Publishing to PyPI
+      id-token: write
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@de0fac2e4500dabe0009e67214ff5f5447ce83dd # v6
@@ -93,8 +96,13 @@ jobs:
           distribution: 'temurin'
           java-version: '21'
 
-      - name: Publish Python client to Test PyPI
-        env:
-          UV_PUBLISH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.TEST_PYPI_API_TOKEN }} # zizmor: ignore[secrets-outside-env]
+      - name: Build Python client nightly
         run: |
-          make client-nightly-publish
+          make client-nightly-build
+
+      - name: Publish Python client to Test PyPI
+        uses: pypa/gh-action-pypi-publish@ed0c53931b1dc9bd32cbe73a98c7f6766f8a527e # v1.13.0
+        with:
+          repository-url: https://test.pypi.org/legacy/
+          packages-dir: client/python/dist/
+          skip-existing: true
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-3-build-and-publish-artifacts.yml b/.github/workflows/release-3-build-and-publish-artifacts.yml
index a7eb7fa275..63082611ac 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-3-build-and-publish-artifacts.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-3-build-and-publish-artifacts.yml
@@ -523,10 +523,126 @@ jobs:
           | Artifact Hub metadata | ✅ Committed to dist dev |
           EOT
 
+  publish-python-client-rc:
+    name: Publish Python Client RC to PyPI
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    needs: [prerequisite-checks]
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+      # IMPORTANT: this permission is mandatory for Trusted Publishing to PyPI
+      id-token: write
+    env:
+      DRY_RUN: ${{ needs.prerequisite-checks.outputs.dry_run }}
+      version_without_rc: ${{ needs.prerequisite-checks.outputs.version_without_rc }}
+      rc_number: ${{ needs.prerequisite-checks.outputs.rc_number }}
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@de0fac2e4500dabe0009e67214ff5f5447ce83dd # v6
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+          persist-credentials: false
+
+      - name: Set up environment variables
+        run: |
+          echo "RELEASEY_DIR=$(pwd)/releasey" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          echo "LIBS_DIR=$(pwd)/releasey/libs" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+      - name: Set up Python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405 # v6
+        with:
+          python-version: "3.13"
+
+      - name: Set up JDK for openapi-generator-cli
+        uses: actions/setup-java@be666c2fcd27ec809703dec50e508c2fdc7f6654 # v5
+        with:
+          distribution: 'temurin'
+          java-version: '21'
+
+      - name: Install Subversion
+        run: |
+          sudo apt-get update
+          sudo apt-get install -y subversion
+
+      - name: Import GPG key
+        uses: crazy-max/ghaction-import-gpg@2dc316deee8e90f13e1a351ab510b4d5bc0c82cd # v7.0.0
+        with:
+          gpg_private_key: ${{ secrets.POLARIS_GPG_PRIVATE_KEY }} # zizmor: ignore[secrets-outside-env]
+          git_user_signingkey: true
+          git_commit_gpgsign: true
+
+      - name: Build Python client RC
+        run: |
+          make client-rc-build RC_VERSION="${version_without_rc}" RC_NUMBER="${rc_number}"
+
+      - name: Sign and checksum Python distributions
+        run: |
+          source "${LIBS_DIR}/_exec.sh"
+
+          for dist_file in client/python/dist/*.whl client/python/dist/*.tar.gz; do
+            calculate_sha512 "${dist_file}"
+            exec_process gpg --armor --output "${dist_file}.asc" --detach-sig "${dist_file}"
+          done
+
+      - name: Publish Python client RC to Test PyPI
+        uses: pypa/gh-action-pypi-publish@ed0c53931b1dc9bd32cbe73a98c7f6766f8a527e # v1.13.0
+        with:
+          repository-url: https://test.pypi.org/legacy/
+          packages-dir: client/python/dist/
+
+      - name: Stage Python wheel to Apache dist dev repository
+        env:
+          SVN_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.POLARIS_SVN_DEV_USERNAME }} # zizmor: ignore[secrets-outside-env]
+          SVN_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.POLARIS_SVN_DEV_PASSWORD }} # zizmor: ignore[secrets-outside-env]
+        run: |
+          echo "::add-mask::$SVN_PASSWORD"
+
+          source "${LIBS_DIR}/_constants.sh"
+          source "${LIBS_DIR}/_exec.sh"
+
+          dist_dev_dir=${RELEASEY_DIR}/polaris-dist-dev
+
+          # Retry logic for SVN checkout (Apache SVN can have transient connectivity issues)
+          exec_process_with_retries 5 60 "${dist_dev_dir}" svn checkout --username "$SVN_USERNAME" --password "$SVN_PASSWORD" --non-interactive "${APACHE_DIST_URL}${APACHE_DIST_PATH}" "${dist_dev_dir}"
+
+          python_client_version_dir="${dist_dev_dir}/python-client/${version_without_rc}"
+
+          # If the python-client version directory already exists in SVN (e.g. re-running the workflow),
+          # delete it so we can re-add fresh artifacts without "already versioned" errors.
+          if svn info "${python_client_version_dir}" &>/dev/null 2>&1; then
+            exec_process svn delete "${python_client_version_dir}"
+          fi
+
+          exec_process mkdir -p "${python_client_version_dir}"
+          exec_process cp client/python/dist/* "${python_client_version_dir}/"
+
+          exec_process cd "${dist_dev_dir}"
+          exec_process svn add --parents "python-client/${version_without_rc}"
+
+          exec_process svn commit --username "$SVN_USERNAME" --password "$SVN_PASSWORD" --non-interactive -m "Stage Apache Polaris Python client ${version_without_rc} RC${rc_number}"
+
+      - name: Update step summary
+        run: |
+          echo "## Python Client RC" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          cat <<EOT >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          🎉 Python client RC published successfully:
+
+          | Property | Value |
+          | --- | --- |
+          | Version | \`${version_without_rc}rc${rc_number}\` |
+          | Registry | Test PyPI |
+          | Apache dist dev | \`python-client/${version_without_rc}\` |
+          EOT
+
   generate-release-email:
     name: Generate Release Email Body
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    needs: [prerequisite-checks, build-and-publish-artifacts, build-docker, build-and-stage-helm-chart]
+    needs:
+      - prerequisite-checks
+      - build-and-publish-artifacts
+      - build-docker
+      - build-and-stage-helm-chart
+      - publish-python-client-rc
     permissions:
       contents: read
     env:
@@ -581,6 +697,12 @@ jobs:
 
           NB: you have to build the Docker images locally in order to test Helm charts.
 
+          The Python CLI RC wheel is available on:
+          * https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/polaris/python-client/${version_without_rc}
+
+          The Python CLI RC is also available on Test PyPI:
+          * https://test.pypi.org/project/apache-polaris/${version_without_rc}rc${rc_number}/
+
           You can find the KEYS file here:
           * https://downloads.apache.org/polaris/KEYS
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-4-publish-release.yml b/.github/workflows/release-4-publish-release.yml
index 9f38fea731..c80c6ec0a1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-4-publish-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-4-publish-release.yml
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     permissions:
       contents: write
+    outputs:
+      version_without_rc: ${{ steps.release-params.outputs.version_without_rc }}
 
     steps:
       - name: Checkout repository
@@ -87,6 +89,7 @@ jobs:
           sudo apt-get install -y subversion
 
       - name: Auto-determine release parameters from branch and Git state
+        id: release-params
         env:
           GIT_REF: ${{ github.ref }}
         run: |
@@ -171,6 +174,7 @@ jobs:
           echo "rc_tag=${rc_tag}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
           echo "final_release_tag=${final_release_tag}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
           echo "release_branch=${current_branch}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          echo "version_without_rc=${version_without_rc}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
 
           cat <<EOT >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
           | Parameter | Value |
@@ -199,6 +203,9 @@ jobs:
           dev_helm_url="${APACHE_DIST_URL}/dev/polaris/helm-chart/${version_without_rc}"
           release_helm_url="${APACHE_DIST_URL}/release/polaris/helm-chart/${version_without_rc}"
 
+          dev_python_client_url="${APACHE_DIST_URL}/dev/polaris/python-client/${version_without_rc}"
+          release_python_client_url="${APACHE_DIST_URL}/release/polaris/python-client/${version_without_rc}"
+
           exec_process svn mv --username "$SVN_USERNAME" --password "$SVN_PASSWORD" --non-interactive \
             "${dev_artifacts_url}" "${release_artifacts_url}" \
             -m "Release Apache Polaris ${version_without_rc}"
@@ -207,9 +214,13 @@ jobs:
             "${dev_helm_url}" "${release_helm_url}" \
             -m "Release Apache Polaris Helm chart ${version_without_rc}"
 
+          exec_process svn mv --username "$SVN_USERNAME" --password "$SVN_PASSWORD" --non-interactive \
+            "${dev_python_client_url}" "${release_python_client_url}" \
+            -m "Release Apache Polaris Python client ${version_without_rc}"
+
           cat <<EOT >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
           ## Distribution
-          Artifacts and Helm chart moved from dist dev to dist release
+          Artifacts, Helm chart, and Python client moved from dist dev to dist release
           EOT
 
       - name: Clean up old releases from dist release repository
@@ -265,6 +276,27 @@ jobs:
             echo "No old Helm chart versions found to remove" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
           fi
 
+          # List and remove old Python client versions
+          release_python_client_url="${APACHE_DIST_URL}/release/polaris/python-client"
+          old_python_client_versions=$(svn list --username "$SVN_USERNAME" --password "$SVN_PASSWORD" --non-interactive "${release_python_client_url}" | grep -E '^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+(-incubating)?/$' | sed 's|/$||' | grep -v "^${version_without_rc}$" || true)
+
+          if [[ -n "${old_python_client_versions}" ]]; then
+            echo "" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+            echo "Removing old Python client versions:" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+            echo '```' >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+            echo "${old_python_client_versions}" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+            echo '```' >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+
+            for old_python_client_version in ${old_python_client_versions}; do
+              exec_process svn rm --username "$SVN_USERNAME" --password "$SVN_PASSWORD" --non-interactive \
+                "${release_python_client_url}/${old_python_client_version}" \
+                -m "Remove old Python client ${old_python_client_version} (superseded by ${version_without_rc})"
+            done
+          else
+            echo "" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+            echo "No old Python client versions found to remove" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          fi
+
       - name: Transfer Helm index and artifacthub-repo.yml from dev to release
         env:
           SVN_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.POLARIS_SVN_DEV_USERNAME }} # zizmor: ignore[secrets-outside-env]
@@ -431,6 +463,13 @@ jobs:
           # Use the Gradle task to release the Apache staging repository with the specific staging repository ID
           exec_process ./gradlew releaseApacheStagingRepository --staging-repository-id "${STAGING_REPOSITORY_ID}"
 
+          cat <<EOT >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          ## Nexus
+          ✅ Nexus staging repository released
+          EOT
+
+      - name: Release summary
+        run: |
           cat <<EOT >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
           ## Summary
           🎉 Release published successfully:
@@ -447,3 +486,58 @@ jobs:
           | Version | \`${version_without_rc}\` |
           | Final release tag | \`${final_release_tag}\` |
           EOT
+
+  publish-python-client:
+    name: Publish Python Client to PyPI
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    needs: [publish-release]
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+      # IMPORTANT: this permission is mandatory for Trusted Publishing to PyPI
+      id-token: write
+    env:
+      version_without_rc: ${{ needs.publish-release.outputs.version_without_rc }}
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@de0fac2e4500dabe0009e67214ff5f5447ce83dd # v6
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+          persist-credentials: false
+
+      - name: Set up environment variables
+        run: |
+          echo "RELEASEY_DIR=$(pwd)/releasey" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          echo "LIBS_DIR=$(pwd)/releasey/libs" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+      - name: Install Subversion
+        run: |
+          sudo apt-get update
+          sudo apt-get install -y subversion
+
+      - name: Download Python wheel from Apache dist release repository
+        env:
+          SVN_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.POLARIS_SVN_DEV_USERNAME }} # zizmor: ignore[secrets-outside-env]
+          SVN_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.POLARIS_SVN_DEV_PASSWORD }} # zizmor: ignore[secrets-outside-env]
+        run: |
+          echo "::add-mask::$SVN_PASSWORD"
+
+          source "${LIBS_DIR}/_constants.sh"
+          source "${LIBS_DIR}/_exec.sh"
+
+          release_python_client_url="${APACHE_DIST_URL}/release/polaris/python-client/${version_without_rc}"
+
+          exec_process svn export --username "$SVN_USERNAME" --password "$SVN_PASSWORD" --non-interactive \
+            "${release_python_client_url}" dist/
+
+      - name: Publish Python client release to PyPI
+        uses: pypa/gh-action-pypi-publish@ed0c53931b1dc9bd32cbe73a98c7f6766f8a527e # v1.13.0
+        with:
+          packages-dir: dist/
+
+      - name: Update step summary
+        run: |
+          cat <<EOT >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          ## Python Client
+          ✅ Python client \`${version_without_rc}\` published to PyPI
+          EOT
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c5902b40bf..d32b6adf35 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -127,18 +127,21 @@ client-install-dependencies: $(VENV_DIR)
 client-setup-env: $(VENV_DIR) client-install-dependencies
 
 .PHONY: client-build
-client-build: client-setup-env ## Build client distribution. Pass FORMAT=sdist or FORMAT=wheel to build a specific format.
+client-build: client-setup-env ## Build client distribution. Pass FORMAT=sdist or FORMAT=wheel to build a specific format, and VERSION to stamp the version before building.
 	@echo "--- Building client distribution ---"
+	@if [ -n "$(VERSION)" ]; then \
+		$(ACTIVATE_AND_CD) && uv version "$(VERSION)"; \
+	fi
 	@if [ -n "$(FORMAT)" ]; then \
 		if [ "$(FORMAT)" != "sdist" ] && [ "$(FORMAT)" != "wheel" ]; then \
 			echo "Error: Invalid format '$(FORMAT)'. Supported formats are 'sdist' and 'wheel'." >&2; \
 			exit 1; \
 		fi; \
 		echo "Building with format: $(FORMAT)"; \
-		$(ACTIVATE_AND_CD) && uv build --format $(FORMAT); \
+		$(ACTIVATE_AND_CD) && uv build --clear --$(FORMAT); \
 	else \
 		echo "Building default distribution (sdist and wheel)"; \
-		$(ACTIVATE_AND_CD) && uv build; \
+		$(ACTIVATE_AND_CD) && uv build --clear; \
 	fi
 	@echo "--- Client distribution build complete ---"
 
@@ -188,18 +191,22 @@ client-lint: client-setup-env ## Run linting checks for Polaris client
 	@$(ACTIVATE_AND_CD) && uv run --active pre-commit run --files integration_tests/* generate_clients.py apache_polaris/cli/* apache_polaris/cli/command/* apache_polaris/cli/options/* test/*
 	@echo "--- Client linting checks complete ---"
 
-.PHONY: client-nightly-publish
-client-nightly-publish: client-setup-env ## Build and publish nightly version to Test PyPI
-	@echo "--- Starting nightly publish ---"
-	@$(ACTIVATE_AND_CD) && \
-	CURRENT_VERSION=$$(uv version --short) && \
-	DATE_SUFFIX=$$(date -u +%Y%m%d%H%M%S) && \
-	NIGHTLY_VERSION="$${CURRENT_VERSION}.dev$${DATE_SUFFIX}" && \
-	echo "Publishing nightly version: $${NIGHTLY_VERSION}" && \
-	uv version "$${NIGHTLY_VERSION}" && \
-	uv build --clear && \
-	uv publish --index testpypi
-	@echo "--- Nightly publish complete ---"
+.PHONY: client-nightly-build
+client-nightly-build: client-setup-env ## Build nightly version for publishing to Test PyPI
+	@$(MAKE) client-build \
+		VERSION="$$($(VENV_DIR)/bin/uv --directory $(PYTHON_CLIENT_DIR) version --short).dev$$(date -u +%Y%m%d%H%M%S)" \
+		FORMAT=wheel
+
+.PHONY: client-rc-build
+client-rc-build: ## Build RC version for publishing to Test PyPI (requires RC_VERSION and RC_NUMBER)
+	@if [ -z "$(RC_VERSION)" ]; then echo "ERROR: RC_VERSION is not set"; exit 1; fi
+	@if [ -z "$(RC_NUMBER)" ]; then echo "ERROR: RC_NUMBER is not set"; exit 1; fi
+	@$(MAKE) client-build VERSION="$(RC_VERSION)rc$(RC_NUMBER)"
+
+.PHONY: client-release-build
+client-release-build: ## Build final release version for publishing to PyPI (requires RELEASE_VERSION)
+	@if [ -z "$(RELEASE_VERSION)" ]; then echo "ERROR: RELEASE_VERSION is not set"; exit 1; fi
+	@$(MAKE) client-build VERSION="$(RELEASE_VERSION)"
 
 .PHONY: client-regenerate
 client-regenerate: client-setup-env ## Regenerate the client code