Poland’s Conservative Ruling Party Ousted

Poland’s ruling nationalist conservative party has lost its majority in parliament after eight years in power.

Official electoral results announced Tuesday show the Law and Justice party winning 35% of the vote. By contrast, the liberal Civic Coalition party won 30.7% of the vote, followed by the centrist Third Way party with 14.4% and the New Left 8.6%, giving the three parties a combined 53.7% of the vote and with it a majority of seats in the 460-seat lower house of parliament, the Sejm.

The three parties ran on separate tickets but with the same promises seeking to oust Law and Justice and restore good ties with the European Union. Leaders of the three parties have pledged to join forces and form a coalition government. Donald Tusk, the leader of Civic Coalition and a former prime minister, is likely to be chosen by the coalition to return to office.

Law and Justice had formed an ironclad grip on many Polish institutions during its time in office, including the judiciary and state-run public broadcasting, which the party allegedly used to demonize political opponents and burnish its image.

The party will still have a chance to remain in power. President Andrzej Duda, an ally of Law and Justice, will give the party a chance to form a government since it won the most votes.  But the far-right Confederation party won only 7% of the vote, not enough to form a governing coalition with Law and Order.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters.
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