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In Poland, it is a second round without surprise, in two weeks, which will see the confrontation between the outgoing president Andrzej Duda and the mayor of Warsaw, Rafal Trzaskowski. The head of state ahead of the presidential in the first round of his rival by more than 10 points, according to first estimates released from the polls.
Andrzej Duda won the support of 41.8% of Poles while the mayor of Warsaw was supported by 30.4% of the voters, according to a survey carried out by the IPSOS institute and published by the big Polish television channels, after the closing of polling stations.
The outgoing president welcomed his result. ” I win this 1st round thanks to your voices in an absolutely indisputable way. The advance is huge and I appreciate it “He said during his election night in Lowicz in central Poland.
« The campaign will continue, we are having a very important discussion on Poland, we are asking the question of Poland of the future Said the outgoing president before congratulating Rafal Trzaskowski.
For Rafal Trzaskowski the task will be difficult
The task will be difficult for the candidate of the Civic Platform. At the announcement of the first estimates, the applause is provided, but no explosion of joy either from the side of the supporters of the mayor of Warsaw, reports our correspondent on site, Thomas Giraudeau.
With a little over 30% of the vote, he absolutely must rally all the opposition to hope to beat Andrzej Duda. Rafal Trzaskowski therefore launched appeals this Sunday evening. In the gallery, he highlighted the qualities of each of the candidates who finished behind him.
First the independent Szymon Holownia, who came third with more than 13% of the vote. It is thanks to his presence that participation in this first round recorded a record according to the mayor of Warsaw.
Then the candidate of the peasant party and that of the left. Rafal Trzaskowski said he would defend minorities, especially LGBT people, attacked by the government in recent weeks.
Then, he addressed voters on the far right, declaring that he has a lot in common with their candidate, who came fourth with just over 7% of the vote.
According to him, the stake of the second round is not a choice between Andrzej Duda and him, but “ a choice between open Poland (…) and those who seek conflicts all the time ». “I will be the candidate for change “Promised Rafal Trzaskowski, whose watchword is” We’ve had enough ».
By campaigning under this watchword Rafal Trzaskowski promised to repair the links with Brussels. Since taking power in 2015, Duda and PiS have turned Polish politics upside down by stoking tensions with the EU.
The election campaign was dominated by concerns over the state of democracy and social issues, as Poland faces its first recession since the end of communism.
The skepticism of supporters of the mayor
The march is still very high for Miroslaw Jurek, a father and sympathizer of the outsider. ” To win, he will have to convince young people, and also in the countryside. They voted for the more conservative peasant party or for President Duda. But if he manages to attract a small part of this electorate, that may be enough “, He believes.
We must also go and seek the abstainers and the 30% orphan voters of their candidate in the second round. Emilia Paczka, in her forties, is skeptical. ” Honestly, I have doubts about his ability to win. He must convince those who voted for the other opposition candidates. But precisely, they did not support Trzaskowski to get out of the binary opposition between the PO and the PiS. »
The Poles moved en masse to the polling stations and the turnout was 62.90%, according to the poll at the exit from the polls.
► Also read: Presidential election in Poland: turnout looks very high
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