In Poland, opposition leader Donald Tusk has heralded the dawn of a new era for the country, as it appears that opposition parties have garnered enough votes in Sunday’s parliamentary election to unseat the governing nationalist conservative party, Law and Justice. This party has faced criticism for internal disagreements and allegations of undermining the rule of law during its eight years in power. Voter turnout in this election reached an exceptional 72.9 percent, even surpassing the turnout during the 1989 ousting of the communist authorities.
However, while Law and Justice secured the most seats of any party in the election, it obtained fewer seats than in the previous election, which means it may not have enough to form a functioning government. According to an exit poll by Ipsos, Law and Justice gained 200 seats, and its potential partner, the far-right Confederation, secured 12 seats, acknowledging defeat. Meanwhile, three opposition parties are poised to win a combined total of 248 seats in the 460-seat lower house of parliament, the Sejm. The largest of these groups, Civic Coalition, led by Tusk, secured 31.6 percent of the votes, according to the exit poll.
Tusk, elated with the results, expressed his happiness, saying, “I have been a politician for many years. I’m an athlete. Never in my life have I been so happy about taking seemingly second place. Poland won. Democracy has won. We have removed them from power.”
While Law and Justice’s leader, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, acknowledged the mixed outcome, stating that his party’s result was a success, the exact path forward remains uncertain. It will likely fall to President Andrzej Duda, an ally of Law and Justice, to designate a party to attempt to form a government.
The election also featured a simultaneous referendum on migration, retirement age, and other issues. The low participation in the referendum, around 40 percent according to the exit poll, suggests that the results will not be legally binding.
Overall, the election results reflect a shift in Polish politics, with Law and Justice losing some of its support compared to the previous election, potentially paving the way for a change in leadership and renewed relations with the European Union.
Source: AP