Polish opposition eyes power after ruling nationalists appear to have fallen short

WARSAW (Reuters) – Poles awoke on Monday to the possibility of a new government, after the ruling nationalists looked to have fallen short of a parliamentary majority, potentially opening the way for opposition parties to seize power in what would be a huge shift.

Poland has repeatedly clashed with the European Union over the rule of law, media freedom, migration and LGBT rights since Law and Justice (PiS) came to power in 2015, but opposition parties have vowed to mend ties with Brussels and undo reforms critics say undermine democratic standards.

An Ipsos exit poll on Sunday gave PiS 36.8% of the vote, which would translate into 200 lawmakers in the 460-seat parliament

Opposition parties, led by the liberal Civic Coalition (KO), were projected to together win 248 seats, with the KO seen winning 31.6% of ballots cast.

Poland’s zloty currency firmed following the result, and was about 1.3% stronger at 0515 GMT.

The late exit poll was delayed, with some commentators saying that it was due to the unexpected record turnout.

Television footage showed several hundred people, mostly young, waiting in a long line at one polling station in the western city of Wrocław to vote. Local residents were bringing them hot tea and blankets as well as some food.

Some of those in line said they waited for six hours. The polling station closed just before 3 a.m. (0100 GMT), some six hours after the voting stations were set to officially to close.

KO leader Donald Tusk, 66, a former European Council president, was jubilant following the announcement of the first exit poll results.

“Democracy has won … This is the end of the PiS government,” he told party members.

However, if official results confirm the exit poll, Tusk and his allies from the centre-right Third Way and the New Left may have to wait weeks or even months before getting a turn at forming a government.

President Andrzej Duda, a PiS ally, has said he would give the first shot to the winning party, suggesting Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki or another party leader would have the chance first. But with the far-right Confederation scoring 6.2%, below expectations, he will have few obvious allies, experts said.

PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski, 74, told officials gathered at the party’s headquarters in central Warsaw that it was not clear whether Sunday’s showing would translate into a new term in office.

“We have to have hope that regardless of whether we are in power or in opposition, our project will continue … We will not let Poland lose … the right to decide its own fate.”

(Reporting by Warsaw and Gdansk Newsrooms, and Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Shri Navaratnam)