Polish opposition wins landslide victory

Poland's centre-right opposition party Civic Platform has won a landslide general election victory, ending the Kaczynski twins’ two-year reign.

The country’s ruling Law and Justice party’s leader, prime minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, conceded defeat Sunday evening after Civic Platform emerged as the biggest single party.

Kaczynski, along with his twin brother president Lech, has polarised Polish opinion over the past two years with his conservative moral viewpoint and aggressive foreign policy. 

Although Jaroslaw will step aside, Lech will remain as president and retain veto power over government legislation.

Civic Platform’s leader Donald Tusk will now prepare to form government.

During the campaign, Tusk promised to slash red tape, reform public finances and adopt a less confrontational political style.

At just over 40 per cent, electoral turnout was poor. But what made this election interesting - and unpredictable – was the fact that thousands of emigrant Poles were voting.

In the UK and Ireland alone, over 70,000 Poles were registered to vote.

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