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The head of the right-wing Polish party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, voted in local elections that constituted a test of support for the party, whose policy provoked street demonstrations and repeated clashes with the leaders of the country. European Union, Warsaw, Poland, Sunday, October 21, 2018. (Czarek Sokolowski / Associated Press)
WARSAW, Poland – The ruling populist party that has repeatedly opposed the EU institutions recorded gains in Sunday's local elections, according to a poll at polling day, which would also have allowed a pro-European opposition candidate to win the Warsaw mayoral race. round.
The Ispos poll revealed that Rafal Trzaskowski, a former European legislator and member of the Civic Platform, had received 51.4% support and would become the mayor of Warsaw without having to take part in the second round on 4 November.
According to exit polls, the party in power, the conservative Law and Justice, received the highest support, with 32.3%.
The full official results will be presented late Tuesday or Wednesday by the National Electoral Commission.
Sunday's elections were the first national test of support for the party for law and justice, whose policy provoked street protests and repeated clashes with EU leaders.
The participation rate across the country was 51.3%, which is higher than in 2014, according to the exit poll, which polled voters as they left offices of voting in 1,160 locations in Poland.
The election concerned positions ranging from mayors of the city to village councilors. The ruling party, the party of law and justice, hopes to strengthen its grip on power, reinforced by the distribution of social benefits and by questioning the degree of authority that the government has. EU should have on member countries.
European leaders have stated that the amendments made by the ruling party to the Polish justice system threatened the rule of law in the country and triggered an unprecedented sanction procedure, which, according to the opposition, undermines the position of the Poland.
Sunday's vote will also measure the strength of the opposition, which is centered on the party of the pro-EU Civic Platform that ruled Poland for eight years before Law came to power. and Justice in 2015.
The campaign targeted the biggest cities in Poland – such as Warsaw, Poznan, Krakow, Wroclaw and Gdansk – which are traditionally pro-European and where the opposition controls local governments. Any loss in the cities would be considered a defeat for the opposition.
In Warsaw, voters rarely queued at many polling stations to get their ballots. They said voter mobilization was very important in the race between the main skeptical and pro-European political forces.
"I've never seen so many people vote, that's a good thing. The question is whether this will be enough for the platform (pro-European citizen) to keep power, "said Aneta Benedyk, in Warsaw, as she was lining up south of Warsaw.
Trzaskowski was running against the ruling party's candidate, Vice Minister of Justice Patryk Jaki, who had attracted attention by leading a special commission to overturn the city council's housing decisions. under the Civic Platform.
Sunday is the first ballot. Candidates for mayors who do not get at least 50% of the vote will face a second round on November 4th.
New rules have introduced transparent ballot boxes and separate committees will manage voting and counting of votes. Full official results are expected Tuesday or Wednesday late.
The local elections in Poland are kicking off a series of crucial votes, including the vote of the European Parliament in May, the vote of the national parliament in autumn 2019 and the Polish presidential election in spring 2020.
Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, disseminated, rewritten or redistributed.
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