Poland's nationalist conservative Law and Justice Party (PiS) has fallen short of an absolute majority in elections after eight years in power, and three opposition parties could form a new coalition government, according to poll results released on Monday. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki's PiS was the strongest force with 36.1% of the vote, while the opposition liberal Civic Coalition (KO) of former prime minister Donald Tusk came second with 31%, according to the Monday afternoon forecast by polling institute Ipsos. Tusk's KO, however, has the easier path to forming a government with a majority in parliament. The result could signal a turning point in Polish foreign policy and herald a more pro-European course, as well a more conciliatory stance towards Poland's neighbour Germany. Following the hotly contested election campaign, President Andrzej Duda called on all political camps to await the official result calmly. 'I hope that the electoral commission will announce the results tomorrow (Tuesday) at midday,' Duda said while on a visit to Rome. 'I can say in advance: To those who won this election, I heartily congratulate you,' he added without naming anyone. Duda, who is close to the PiS, highlighted what he termed the 'gigantic' turnout of almost 73% and said Polish democracy had been the clear winner of the election. The PiS is in constant dispute with Brussels and has angered Berlin with demands for war reparations for damages caused by the Nazi occupation during World War II. The new forecast predicted 19 seats for the PiS in the new parliament which falls short of the 231 seats needed to claim a majority of the 460 mandates. The only possible coalition partner for PiS is the ultra-right Confederation party, whose 15 seats are not enough to help create a governing majority either, according to forecasts. Projected to have won 249 seats in total, the three opposition parties could form a coalition government. 'Poland has won, democracy has won. We have removed them from power,' Donald Tusk said on Sunday evening.
Source: Ghana News Agency