Polish premier is routed in record vote, polls show - by Nicholas Kulish
Voters appeared to have ousted the prime minister, one half of Poland's wonder-twin team, in parliamentary elections on Sunday. The challenger, Donald Tusk, declared victory for his pro-business party, Civic Platform. The prime minister, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, conceded defeat as two major exit polls showed his Law and Justice Party trailing Civic Platform by double-digit margins. His brother, Lech, will remain president and retain veto power over the presumptive new government's legislation.
Official results are not expected until Tuesday, which could determine whether Civic Platform achieves an outright majority or more likely needs to form a coalition with the centrist Polish Peasants Party. With unofficial results, anything could happen, but Kaczynski congratulated his opponent after what appeared to be a significant defeat. Leaders across Europe were likely to be relieved at the ascension of Civic Platform, a pro-Europe party. Under the Kaczynskis, Poland has earned a reputation as a consensus-breaking troublemaker.
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