2023-10-17 10:07:20
The election commission in Warsaw announced this on Tuesday following all votes were counted. The national conservative ruling party Law and Justice (PiS) will be the strongest force in the new parliament, but clearly missed the absolute majority.
The next step now lies with President Andrzej Duda. He must give an order to form a government. On Monday, the former PiS politician kept a low profile and pointed out that the official result remains to be seen.
30.7 percent voted for the largest opposition alliance, the liberal-conservative Citizens’ Coalition (KO) of former Prime Minister Donald Tusk – making it the second strongest force with 157 seats. The KO is planning a government coalition with the Christian-conservative Third Way (14.4 percent, 65 seats) and the left-wing alliance Lewica (8.61 percent, 26 seats). The three-party alliance has 248 of the total 460 seats and thus a majority of the mandates.
According to the electoral commission, the PiS received 35.38 percent of the vote and, with 194 members, will be the strongest force in the new parliament. However, it would be dependent on a coalition partner for a government majority. Only the ultra-right Konfederacja would be eligible for this, but it got 7.16 percent and 18 seats – that’s not enough for a majority.
The opposition also won the majority of seats in the Senate, the less important second chamber of parliament. The “Senate Pact” alliance, which also includes independent candidates alongside the KO, the Third Way and the left-wing Lewica alliance, won 66 seats, with the PiS accounting for the remaining 34.
Voter turnout was 74.38 percent – the highest since the end of communism in 1989.
Tusk wants to improve relations with the EU
Tusk now has the key role. The former EU Council President can forge a government from KO, Third Way and New Left – and end the ongoing dispute with Brussels. The 66-year-old has a good chance of becoming prime minister and replacing incumbent Mateusz Morawiecki. The potential partners had recently signaled that they wanted to start discussions as soon as the final result was available. However, observers expect the process to take months.
This is probably also due to Poland’s President Andrzej Duda, himself from the PiS camp. He might first give the PiS, as the strongest individual party, the task of forming a new government. He announced this before the eagerly awaited election. It is political custom in Poland, but not mandatory, that a representative of the strongest political camp receives the order.
Tusk has promised to improve relations with the EU once more. For years it has been heavily burdened by disputes over judicial reform, gay rights and migration issues. Critics accuse the PiS of having undermined the independence of the courts and media since it took office in 2015. That is why the EU has frozen around 110 billion euros in funds intended for Poland.
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