Pro-Europe party trounces Poland's conservatives

Poland’s business-friendly and pro-EU Civic Platform ousted prime minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski’s conservatives in parliamentary elections, early results said today, in the strongest showing for any single party since the eastern European country overthrew Communism in 1989.

Voters across the nation of 38 million turned out in record numbers yesterday to deal a bruising verdict on Kaczynski’s two-year crusade to belatedly purge former Communists and fight for the country’s interests in the EU with combative methods that have left the nation marginalised in Europe.

The election – which Kaczynski had forced in a failed gamble to strengthen his support – appeared to be a victory for an EU-friendly course and more market economics for an already booming economy.

Partial results after 32.3 of the vote counted showed Civic Platform ahead with 40%, or 194 seats in the 460-seat lower house of parliament. Law and Justice trailed with 32.63%, or 173 seats.

Civic Platform could have a majority with its preferred partner, the moderate Polish Peasants Party, which early results showed at 9.78%, translating into 41 seats.

Turnout was 52.6%, higher than any parliamentary elections since the fall of Communism, according to the central electoral committee.

Two radical Eurosceptic parties that for a time served in Kaczynski’s government – the populist Self-Defence and right-wing League of Polish Families - failed to even make it into parliament, their support far below a 5% threshold.

The result also means that Poles will no longer have twins with identical cherub faces holding the country’s two highest offices; Jaroslaw Kaczynski’s brother, President Lech Kaczynski remains in office with a term lasting until 2010.

The 58-year-olds are former child movie stars who as adults became activists with the Solidarity trade union movement that helped topple communism in 1989.

With both early results and exit polls showing a double-digit win for Civic Platform, Kaczynski acknowledged defeat, telling supporters that “we didn’t manage in the face of this unprecedented broad front of attacks”, referring to Civic Platform’s tough campaigning.

Kaczynski said a coalition with the election winner was “out of the question” and pledged to use his time in the opposition to rebuild his forces – and keep a close check on the new government.

Kaczynski has been highly divisive at home for efforts to purge former communists from positions of influence – tough stands that appealed to voters still bitter over Communist rule. He also expressed distrust of Germany, which played well with voters old enough to remember Nazi Germany’s occupation of their country during the Second World War.

Abroad, he clashed with other EU countries over various issues, including a new treaty to govern how the union makes decisions, demanding more say for Poland.

Civic Platform leader Donald Tusk – all but certain to be the new prime minister – was showered with confetti by supporters ecstatic that their six-year-old economically liberal party finally won its first election after defeat in two elections two years ago.

“We went into this election in order to make everyone, without exception, feel good in their country, in their home,” he said.

His party has pledged to spur more economic growth with lower taxes, less bureaucracy and more privatisation. In foreign affairs, Tusk wants to repair the strained ties with the EU and keep up the strong friendship with the US – though he does advocate a quick withdrawal of Poland’s 900 troops from Iraq.

Waldemar Pawlak, head of the Peasants party and a former prime minister, said he was ready to enter a coalition with Civic Platform, but said he was waiting for final results – and an offer from Tusk.

Meanwhile, ex-president Aleksander Kwasniewski, leader of the Left and Democrats, which also made it to the new parliament, said his time in politics was “coming to an end”.