Poles hand President Komorowski shock defeat as election goes to runoff

Polish leader Bronislaw Komorowski is facing an uphill battle to save his presidency after a shock defeat in the first round of elections. Komorowski’s support has melted from more than 60 percent three months ago to 32.2 percent in Sunday’s vote, slipping behind opposition candidate Andrzej Duda, who got 34.8 percent, according to an exit poll by polling company Ipsos. They will face each other in a May 24 runoff. Poland is picking a president in a vote that will set the stage for parliamentary elections this fall, with Law and Justice looking to end the Civic Platform’s eight-year rule.

This slump in support reflects the electorate’s sentiment that the ruling party doesn’t listen to their needs and ignores them.

Bartlomiej Biskup, a political scientist at the Warsaw University

Komorowski, who has served as president since 2010 and is aligned with the centre-right ruling Civic Platform party, called the exit poll prediction a “serious warning” to those who want to have a “reasonable Poland”. With most power in the hands of Poland’s prime minister and the government, the president mainly has ceremonial duties. But he or she is the commander of the armed forces and has the power to propose and veto legislation.

A beaming Duda appealed to voters for more support in the presidential runoff.

Andrzej Duda