Andrzej Duda archivos

Andrzej Duda wins Polish presidential election

Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski conceded defeat in Sunday’s presidential elections. The exit polls showed him trailing his main challenger, Andrzej Duda, who managed to win 53% of the votes. The result marks a significant blow to the ruling Civic Platform and its leader and Prime Minister, Ewa Kopacz. Ripple effects are expected to be felt in the more important parliamentary elections due later this year. In Poland the Head of State has limited powers in comparison to the Prime Minister but Andrzej Duda may well promote a more skeptical approach towards the European Union and lay the groundwork for a right-wing win in the upcoming parliamentary elections

Dodging Politics, Ditching Democracy

The Brits and the Poles have voted last week in parliamentary and presidential elections, respectively. But if anything unites these two European elections, it is the way they illustrate the hollowing of the democratic process. While conservatives tout more of the same, the Left… Well, what Left?

POLAND: Duda wins the first round, but Komorowski is aiming for re-election

Pending , Dialogue , Op-ed
12 May, 2015

Analysing what happened last Sunday in the Polish presidential elections and trying to anticipate what might happen in two weeks’ time, there are clearly two different interpretations. On the one hand, the partial victory of Andrzej Duda reveals significant wear and tear in the Civic Platform (PO) currently in power – and of Komorowski as President. Furthermore, the rise of Pawel Kukiz, a musician and non-party independent, as the third most voted option (20%) appear to place Poland fairly and squarely in the European mainstream of new politicians, new discourse, and the desire for change – which is what’s happening in Greece and Spain.

Unexpected results in Polish presidential election

Andrzej Duda pulled off a surprising upset over the incumbent Bronislaw Komorowski in the first round of the Polish presidential elections. According to the Polish Press Agency exit poll, the surge in support for the nationalist conservative candidate puts him in the lead with 34.8% of the vote. President Komorowski has been relegated to an unexpected second place after receiving only 32.2% of the total ballots cast. The two will meet again in the 24 May runoff since neither candidate managed to secure more than 50% of the vote. The results are all the more remarkable as opinion polls gave Mr. Komorowski a comfortable win over his contender