WARSAW, Oct 15 (Reuters) – Poland’s ruling nationalists were leading in Sunday’s parliamentary election but could lose their majority, a poll showed, raising the prospect of liberal opposition parties seeking to form a governing coalition.
An Ipsos exit poll gave the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party 36.8% of the vote, which would translate to 200 legislators in the 460-seat parliament.
The largest opposition party, the liberal Civic Alliance (KO), is projected to win 31.6% of the vote, giving it 163 seats.
A center-right third-way coalition and a New Left that could enter into a coalition with KO were found in 13% and 8.6%, respectively.
[1/13]Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who heads Poland’s ruling conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, gives a speech after poll results are announced, Oct. 15, 2023, in Warsaw, Poland. REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel Get license rights
Official results will start coming in later on Sunday.
KO President Donald Tusk, a former European Council president, has promised to mend Warsaw’s relations with Brussels, which have been plagued by several conflicts over issues such as judicial independence, LGBT rights and migration.
Critics say that since coming to power in 2015, the PIS has increased political influence in the courts and turned state media into propaganda hubs.
About 110 billion euros of EU funds allocated to Poland have been frozen due to legal provisions.
Additional reporting from the Warsaw and Gdansk bureaus, by Justyna Pavlak; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Giles Elgood
Our Standards: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
“Friend of animals everywhere. Devoted analyst. Total alcohol scholar. Infuriatingly humble food trailblazer.”