Current:Home > NewsPoland election could oust conservative party that has led country for 8 years-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Poland election could oust conservative party that has led country for 8 years
View Date:2024-12-23 22:44:23
Berlin — Poland's general election on Sunday could oust conservatives who have led the country for eight years and usher in a new government likely to seek warmer relations with Warsaw's European neighbors. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki's ruling Law and Justice party remains the strongest political force in the country, but three opposition parties could combine their forces to form a new government with a new leader.
The Law and Justice party received 36.8% of the vote, securing 200 seats in Parliament, according to post-election polls conducted by Ipsos. However, the party lost almost 7 percentage points compared to the last election in 2019.
The opposition liberal-conservative Civic Coalition of former Prime Minister Donald Tusk was the second-strongest force with 31.6% of the vote and 163 seats.
A record 73% of voters turned out for the election, shattering the 1989 record of 62.7% and the 2019 turnout of 61.7%.
In Germany, Polish voters lined up outside their country's embassy in Berlin on Sunday. More than 100,000 Poles in Germany went to cast their vote. According to the Polish Election Commission, more than 560,000 Polish voters had registered to cast a ballot abroad.
The campaign was dominated by the issue of migration and attacks on the role of the European Union and Germany.
After exit polls were released at 9 p.m. Sunday, both Law and Justice and Civic Platform declared that they had won. However, the ruling party is in a difficult position, lacking the 31 seats to form a viable governing coalition.
The only possible coalition partner for Law and Justice is the far-right Konfederacja, which received 6.2% of the vote and 12 seats, which, according to forecasts, wouldn't be enough to form a majority.
Tusk's Civic Platform, the Christian conservative Third Way coalition, which received 13.5% of the vote and 55 seats, and left-wing Lewica, with 8.6% of the vote and 30 seats, together add up to 248 seats. The three parties could form an alliance to oust Morawiecki and elevate Tusk, the leader of the progressive and European Union-friendly opposition.
However, the final election results will not be known until Tuesday.
A change of power in Warsaw could bring decisive changes in Polish domestic and foreign policy.
The Law and Justice party is constantly at odds with the European Parliament in Brussels and has also angered the German government with demands for World War II reparations. The party's ultra-conservative changes to the country's abortion laws have divided the country.
- Massive protests as Poland implements near-total ban on abortions
- Angry protests as Poland's top court bans virtually all abortions
- Abortion battle rages in Poland despite coronavirus lockdown
A new government could now put Poland on a pro-European course.
Tusk said the election results meant the "end of the rule of PiS," another name for Law and Justice, which has led the government in Warsaw for eight years. "Poland has won, democracy has won, we have driven them from power," Tusk said.
The final balance of power in Parliament may still shift by a few percentage points for smaller parties. The formation of a government is expected to be a lengthy process.
- In:
- Poland
veryGood! (21364)
Related
- Wheel of Fortune Contestant Goes Viral Over His Hilariously Wrong Answer
- Greece’s shipping minister resigns a week after a passenger pushed off a ferry ramp drowns
- Jennifer Garner's Trainer Wants You to Do This in the Gym
- GOP threat to impeach a Wisconsin Supreme Court justice is driven by fear of losing legislative edge
- Will the NBA Cup become a treasured tradition? League hopes so, but it’s too soon to tell
- BMW to build new electric Mini in England after UK government approves multimillion-pound investment
- Hawaii volcano Kilauea erupts after nearly two months of quiet
- Maldives presidential runoff is set for Sept. 30 with pro-China opposition in a surprise lead
- As the transition unfolds, Trump eyes one of his favorite targets: US intelligence
- With Rubiales finally out, Spanish soccer ready to leave embarrassing chapter behind
Ranking
- As CFP rankings punish SEC teams, do we smell bias against this proud and mighty league?
- This Best-Selling Earbud Cleaning Pen Has 16,000+ 5-Star Amazon Reviews & It's on Sale
- GA grand jury recommended charges against 3 senators, NY mayor's migrant comments: 5 Things podcast
- Novak Djokovic wins US Open, adding to record number of men's singles Grand Slam titles
- 12 college students charged with hate crimes after assault in Maryland
- Here’s Why Everyone Loves Candier Candles — And Why You Will, Too
- North Korea's Kim Jong Un boasts of new nuclear attack submarine, but many doubt its abilities
- Chipping away at the 'epidemic of loneliness,' one new friendship at a time
Recommendation
-
West Virginia governor-elect Morrisey to be sworn in mid-January
-
Oprah Winfrey: Envy is the great destroyer of happiness
-
What's going on with Cash App and Square? Payment services back up after reported outages
-
Spain's soccer chief Luis Rubiales resigns two weeks after insisting he wouldn't step down
-
Tom Brady Shares How He's Preparing for Son Jack to Be a Stud
-
Historic fires and floods are wreaking havoc in insurance markets: 5 Things podcast
-
Tennis phenom Coco Gauff wins U.S. Open at age 19
-
Cowboys rip error-prone Giants 40-0 for worst shutout loss in the series between NFC East rivals