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Poland votes in a snap election Polish PM 'is facing poll defeat'
(about 3 hours later)
People in Poland are voting in general elections called two years early, after the collapse of the ruling coalition in a row over a corruption investigation. Ballots are being counted in Poland after voting in the country's early general election, with exit polls predicting a defeat for the government.
Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski's conservative Law and Justice Party is being challenged by the Civic Platform, led by centre right rival Donald Tusk. Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski's conservative Law and Justice Party polled about 31%, while the centre-right Civic Platform, has 44%.
Both parties have their roots in the anti-communist Solidarity movement. The election was called two years early after Mr Kaczynski's coalition collapsed over a corruption probe.
Some Poles still believe a coalition between them would give Poland its best chance of stable government. Turnout seemed substantially higher than the 12-year low in the 2005 poll.
Some are calling these elections the most important since the fall of Communism in 1989. The prime minister's twin brother, Lech Kaczynski, is Poland's president.
Polarised The Law and Justice Party (PiS) has pursued former communists and adopted a sceptical approach to the European Union, while Civic Platform (PO) has promised a more business-friendly administration with closer ties to Europe, correspondents say.
Poland is a country polarised between supporters and opponents of Mr Kaczynski, says the BBC's Adam Easton in Warsaw. Learning lesson
The 58-year-old prime minister believes the state is broken and he is the first politician to try to mend it, he says. The turnout of 55% was the highest since the fall of communism in 1989.
Most polling stations closed at 2000 (1800 GMT), with a handful delaying closure after opening late for technical reasons, and others running out of ballot papers.
Mr Kaczynski believes Poland has not dealt with its communist past
Voters were electing members of 460-seat lower house, the Sejm, and the 100-seat Senate.
Mr Kaczynski voted in the early afternoon in Warsaw, chatting with other voters as he queued.
"We have to accept the will of the voters, that's obvious," he said after voting, according to Reuters news agency.
"We won't get angry at the people and lessons from this campaign will be learned."
His rival, Mr Tusk, also cast his vote in the capital city.
"Of course I expect to win, but I also know perfectly well that it will not be easy and the battle goes on until the last minute," he was quoted as saying.
Democratic disillusion
Poles have became disillusioned with democracy following a succession of unhappy coalition governments, says the BBC's Adam Easton in Warsaw.
I didn't like being talked down to for the last two years Jan ZawiszWarsaw voter Purge overshadows vote Voters hear Church's voiceI didn't like being talked down to for the last two years Jan ZawiszWarsaw voter Purge overshadows vote Voters hear Church's voice
He has done this by giving extra power to anti-corruption agencies while purging former communists. The country is polarised over the figure of the 58-year-old prime minister, who commands both strong support and deep opposition, says our correspondent.
Mr Kaczynski has also promoted an assertive foreign policy and traditional Catholic values. He has given extra power to anti-corruption agencies and purged former communists, while promoting an assertive foreign policy and traditional Catholic values.
Donald Tusk wants lower taxes
Among his supporters, Andrzej Sulkowski said he voted for Law and Justice "because this party is telling the truth and doing something".Among his supporters, Andrzej Sulkowski said he voted for Law and Justice "because this party is telling the truth and doing something".
"In their two years of government they did what they could," he told the Associated Press news agency."In their two years of government they did what they could," he told the Associated Press news agency.
But Mr Kaczynski's policies and style are not to the taste of many better-off and well-educated city dwellers, who prefer the pro-business Civic Platform party of Donald Tusk. But one of Mr Tusk's supporters, Jan Zawisz, said he "didn't like being talked down to for the last two years".
Mr Kaczynski believes Poland has not dealt with its communist past
"I didn't like being talked down to for the last two years," Jan Zawisz, told Reuters news agency in Warsaw, as he voted for Mr Tusk's Platform.
Another Tusk supporter, Adam Lutostanski, complained that the prime minister and his supporters were "too Church-oriented".
Disillusionment
In the 18 years since the end of Communism, the country has had 12 different prime ministers.
It is this instability which partly explains why people here have become so disillusioned with democratic politics so quickly, says our Warsaw correspondent.
Donald Tusk wants lower taxes
On Saturday, a leading Polish newspaper warned of low turnout and voter apathy.
Much of the front page of the Gazeta Wyborcza was left blank, in a symbolic representation of the 60% of voters who failed to turn out for the parliamentary election two years ago.
Polls opened at 0600 (0400 GMT), and were to close at 2000 (1800 GMT), but voting has been extended as some polling stations ran out of ballot papers, officials said.
Full results may not be known until Monday or Tuesday.