1 of 2 Supporters of Law and Justice (PiS), in Poland, on October 15, 2023 — Photo: Aleksandra Szmigiel/Portal Supporters of Law and Justice (PiS), in Poland, on October 15, 2023 — Photo: Aleksandra Szmigiel/ Portal
After 50% of ballots were counted, the rightwing Law and Justice party (PiS), currently in power, came first with 38.3% of the vote, according to Polish electoral authorities published on Monday (16).
However, the percentage does not give PiS the necessary majority in parliament to govern not even in the case of a coalition with the extreme right.
According to partial results, an alliance between liberals and the left could win enough votes to form a new government.
The largest opposition group, the Liberal Civic Coalition (KO), received 27.3% of the vote the KO is expected to form an alliance with Terceira Via and Nova Esquerda, which came third and fourth in the partial results. respectively.
The elections in Poland are considered crucial in Europe. You Survey results will shed light on the future of Poland’s shaky relations with the European Union and also Ukraine The two countries are neighbors and have recently broken their partnership that has existed since the beginning of the Russian invasion.
What effects does a possible PiS victory have?
In the event of a victory, the PiS must continue to implement its controversial judicial reform. The measure has been sharply criticized by the European Union (EU), which sees the measure as an attack on democracy. It wouldn’t be the first time party and party have fallen out, which would only add to the list of disagreements between them.
There is also the possibility that tensions between Poland and Ukraine could worsen, as PiS recently banned the import of Ukrainian grain, sparking criticism from Kiev.
In addition, there is a possibility that PiS will form a coalition with the Confederation, a farright party that advocates for an end to Polish aid to Ukraine and is antiimmigration and antiEU.
The party is known for its ultraconservative values and has a history of controversial threats to the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community and press freedom.
“We have delegated certain powers to the EU, but that is enough. No longer. We are in the EU, we want to stay in it, but in an EU of sovereign countries,” PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski said last week.
Polish opposition leader Donald Tusk, a former president of the European Council, said democracy had won and the Law and Justice (PiS) nationalists would be removed from power.
2 of 2 Donald Tusk, opposition leader in Poland, waves to his supporters during a demonstration against the national government on October 1, 2023 Photo: Kacper Pempel/Portal Donald Tusk, opposition leader in Poland, waves to his supporters during a demonstration against the national government on October 1, 2023 Photo: Kacper Pempel/Portal
“I have never been happier in my life than today with this second place. Poland won. Democracy won. We removed them (PiS) from power,” he said.
Tusk vowed to repair Warsaw’s relations with Brussels, which have been marred by disputes over issues such as LGBTQIA+ rights and migration.
According to advisers to Polish President Andrzej Duda, who has been in office since 2015, the first chance to form a government will probably go to the party that received the most votes, namely the Nationalist Law and Justice Party (PiS).
Voter turnout in Poland’s parliamentary elections was probably the highest since the fall of communism in 1989, according to the head of the electoral commission.
“The turnout is probably the highest in the history of the Third Republic,” Sylwester Marciniak said at a news conference after an exit poll showed 72.9% popular turnout in the elections.