According to exit polls, the centrist coalition led by Donald Tusk won 248 seats out of 460, compared to 212 seats for the populist PiS and the far-right Confederation party combined. Results which still need to be confirmed. On Sunday evening, the Civic Coalition did not wait to celebrate the victory at its headquarters in Warsaw.
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From our special correspondent in Warsaw,
“ We did it ! It was Poland that won, democracy that won », Launched Donald Tusk, leader of the democratic opposition immediately after the publication of the exit polls, Sunday evening October 15. The leader of the Civic Coalition (KO) thus denied priority to Jaroslav Kaczynski who should have been the first to speak since his party came first in this election considered crucial for the European future of the country and its relations. with Ukraine.
A bit mockingly, Donald Tusk clarified that rarely had a second place given him so much pleasure. Because if the former President of the European Council can claim victory, it is thanks to the two partners of the future government coalition: the Third Way and the Left who allow him to obtain a very comfortable majority.
Good news for Brussels and kyiv
The uncertainty lasted until the end. When the results were announced, Radosław Sikorski, the former head of Polish diplomacy, heaved a sigh of relief: “ Poland will once again be an inspiration for Europe, a country of Solidarity and not of wiretapping opponents. The madness served by PiS (Law and Justice) has just ended. »
“ We are back », agrees Tomasz Siemoniak. And for this newly elected deputy from the Civic Coalition (KO), it is good news for Poland’s European partners and for kyiv: “ I hope that Ukrainian leaders understand that the Polish opposition is not going to use its foreign policy to solve its internal problems. And that our relations will be normalized again. »
The work remains enormous
In the meantime, joy is palpable in Rafał, a first-year psychology student at the University of Warsaw and supporter of the Civic Coalition. This year, the young man voted for the first time in his life. “ It is unheard ! This is the first time I’ve experienced something like this. My first elections and straight away victoryhe enthuses. I feel like a great breath of freedom which will allow us to carry out lots of projects: Erasmus exchange program, social projects. Obviously, our educational programs related to women’s rights. Without forgetting the students’ demands… But for the moment I will celebrate this victory with my friends, supporters and activists. »
Poland is once again becoming a reliable partner and a rule of law, insists Marzena, a professor at the University of Katowice from Silesia. “ From there everything changes! she wants to believe. Starting with the courts which must be independent. Via the Constitutional Court… Or even women’s rights. » Yes, the work remains immense. But the democratic conditions are there. Enough, according to her, to anchor Poland a little further to the west of Europe.
But the uncertainty may not be quite over. The leader of the Droit et Justine party did not recognize his defeat, declaring that the coming days would be days of battle. It is up to President Duda, close to the PiS, to designate the future Prime Minister. Affiliated with PiS, the head of state announced a few days ago that he would choose the party that came first, namely PiS. If failure, it is Parliament which takes control, but by Sunday evening concern was growing. The president was believed to intend to use the impossibility of voting for the next budget as a pretext to dissolve Parliament in order to call new elections in the spring.
Read alsoLegislative elections in Poland: relive the victory of the centrist and pro-European opposition