Duda Overcomes Komorowski in Poland’s Presidential Run-Off

Opposition candidate Andrzej Duda won Poland’s run-off presidential election with 52 percent of the votes, exit polls revealed on Sunday.

Duda, a candidate from the country’s largest Law and Justice opposition party, ran against incumbent President Bronislaw Komorowski, backed by the country’s ruling Civic Platform party.Poland’s incumbent president has been a strong supporter of the European Union, particularly on the issue of Ukraine, while Duda is a mild euro-sceptic.

Komorowski later conceded defeat and congratulated Duda with victory in a speech given from his campaign headquarters.

Komorowski, 62, was ahead of Duda, 43, in pre-election ratings released earlier this week, but on May 10, Poland’s incumbent leader narrowly lost to the opposition candidate in the first round of the elections that triggered Sunday’s run-off.

According to updated IPSOS exit poll results, in the run-off, 52 percent of the voters chose Duda over Komorowski, who came away with 48 percent. Earlier IPSOS data showed that Duda secured 53 percent of the votes, while Komorowski got 47 percent.

Sunday’s turnout was estimated at 56.1 percent.

Poland’s State Election Commission is expected to announce official results on Monday, May 25.

Donald Tusk, a Polish politician and President of the European Council, has congratulated Andrzej Duda with victory in Poland’s presidential election.

“I thank President Komorowski for a good and fair presidency, and I congratulate Andrzej Duda with his victory and wish him the best term,” Tusk said in a Sunday post on his official Twitter page.