Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s liberal-conservative Civic Coalition is set to win the European elections in Poland by a wide margin, according to initial forecasts.
Tusk’s party is projected to get 38.2%, post-election polls conducted by the Ipsos opinion research institute indicated.
The Civic Coalition is expected to be able to send 21 lawmakers to the European Parliament. “We have waited exactly 10 years for the first place on the podium. I am so happy,” a visibly moved Tusk said on Sunday evening.
The largest opposition party, the national conservative Law and Justice party (PiS), came second with 33.9% of the vote. PiS is therefore expected to be represented by 19 MEPs.
The third strongest party was the radical right-wing Confederation with 11.9%, or six MEPs.
The last two places were taken by the two smaller coalition partners, who form the centre-left government with Tusk’s party. The Christian Democratic Third Way received 8.2%, or four MEPs, and The Left alliance received 6.6% of the vote and will have three MEPs.
The Polish electoral commission said voter turnout was 28.2% by 5 pm (1500 GMT).