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Polish PM 'is facing poll defeat' | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
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 polled about 31%, while the centre-right Civic Platform, has 44%. | |
The election was called two years early after Mr Kaczynski's coalition collapsed over a corruption probe. | |
Turnout seemed substantially higher than the 12-year low in the 2005 poll. | |
The prime minister's twin brother, Lech Kaczynski, is Poland's president. | |
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. | |
Learning lesson | |
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 voice | I didn't like being talked down to for the last two years Jan ZawiszWarsaw voter Purge overshadows vote Voters hear Church's voice |
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. | |
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 one of Mr Tusk's supporters, Jan Zawisz, said he "didn't like being talked down to for the last two years". | |