The aircrash which resulted in death of polish president L. Kaczynski and many other people onboard has changed polish politics. On a wave of sympathy, L. Kaczynski's twin brother (former PM and leader of conservative PiS party), J. Kaczynski, has gained a support he couldn't have counted on earlier on, after his authoritarian-like rules 2005-7. During the campaign, Kaczynski was trying to convince people that he's changed due to the tragedy, became milder, more temperate, less hostile towards Russia etc.
But PiS-controlled public television was not that temperate and, for example, was, by the voices of people on the streats, was accusing liberals of causing the aircrash, or bowing to Russia etc.
It was also accusing the gouverment of incompetence during a giant flood, which happened just before the elections. Public TV was bombarding viewers with images of people claiming that they haven't received help yet and that the "gouverment doesn't do anything".
The ruling liberal party (PO), which's presidential campaign was doomed to consist of criticism of L. Kaczynski's weak presidency, and, due to his death and the flood, was in serious trouble, especially since, being almost sure of win earlier on, prime minister D. Tusk decided to keep his sit and make his political friend, B. Komorowski, run for presidency. Komorowski proved to be much weaker candidate than expected, making a lot of faux pas, and lacking charisma. Also, due to late president's death, it was
Komorowski, as the speaker of the parliament, who was acting as the head of state. And that ment that his every move was heavily criticised.
On another hand, left wing's candidate to presidency was also dead, and young, uncharismatic leader of the party was forced to run to an almost certain doom, which was eagely expected from his party's internal opposition. Left wing didn't expect much votes, especially since many people wanted to support Komorowski in the first round, to stop Kaczynski. In fact, some of the most important left-wing politicians did that.
I round proved to be a success for Napieralski, who (after a lively campaign) gained just 14%, but, in the time of polarisation, without support from his own party, that was supprising. He was starting with a mere 3-4% just a month earlier.
This resulted in a peculiar situation, in which both sides, but especially Kaczynski (who, only several years ago, wanted to ban Napieralski's party), were trying to gain his favour. kaczynski declared his party is "a bit left wing", that he will not call left-wing "post-communists" again, that E. Gierek, former first secretary of communist party, was a patriot and many more surprising statements.
Eventually, Komorowski apparently won by a 5% margin or so, although after checking 20% of the votes, it seemed for a while Kaczynski will win.
to sum it up: a conservative, but a relatively sane candidate has won. EU-sceptical, germanophobic, anti-russian and anti-gay Kaczynski was forced during the campaign to become calmer and he'll probably stay this way. There's a fear he will win parliamentary elections, though.
As i've already mentioned in another thread, again, in the first round Kaczynski won in former russian and austrian part of Poland, Komorowski in former prussian part and in virtually all big cities.
But PiS-controlled public television was not that temperate and, for example, was, by the voices of people on the streats, was accusing liberals of causing the aircrash, or bowing to Russia etc.
It was also accusing the gouverment of incompetence during a giant flood, which happened just before the elections. Public TV was bombarding viewers with images of people claiming that they haven't received help yet and that the "gouverment doesn't do anything".
The ruling liberal party (PO), which's presidential campaign was doomed to consist of criticism of L. Kaczynski's weak presidency, and, due to his death and the flood, was in serious trouble, especially since, being almost sure of win earlier on, prime minister D. Tusk decided to keep his sit and make his political friend, B. Komorowski, run for presidency. Komorowski proved to be much weaker candidate than expected, making a lot of faux pas, and lacking charisma. Also, due to late president's death, it was
Komorowski, as the speaker of the parliament, who was acting as the head of state. And that ment that his every move was heavily criticised.
On another hand, left wing's candidate to presidency was also dead, and young, uncharismatic leader of the party was forced to run to an almost certain doom, which was eagely expected from his party's internal opposition. Left wing didn't expect much votes, especially since many people wanted to support Komorowski in the first round, to stop Kaczynski. In fact, some of the most important left-wing politicians did that.
I round proved to be a success for Napieralski, who (after a lively campaign) gained just 14%, but, in the time of polarisation, without support from his own party, that was supprising. He was starting with a mere 3-4% just a month earlier.
This resulted in a peculiar situation, in which both sides, but especially Kaczynski (who, only several years ago, wanted to ban Napieralski's party), were trying to gain his favour. kaczynski declared his party is "a bit left wing", that he will not call left-wing "post-communists" again, that E. Gierek, former first secretary of communist party, was a patriot and many more surprising statements.
Eventually, Komorowski apparently won by a 5% margin or so, although after checking 20% of the votes, it seemed for a while Kaczynski will win.
to sum it up: a conservative, but a relatively sane candidate has won. EU-sceptical, germanophobic, anti-russian and anti-gay Kaczynski was forced during the campaign to become calmer and he'll probably stay this way. There's a fear he will win parliamentary elections, though.
As i've already mentioned in another thread, again, in the first round Kaczynski won in former russian and austrian part of Poland, Komorowski in former prussian part and in virtually all big cities.
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