Komorowski wins Polish election

Interim president Bronislaw Komorowski appeared to have held off a last-minute surge from the identical twin brother of the late president, who died in an April plane crash that shocked the country and forced yesterday's early election.

Exit polls showed Mr Komorowski with a slight edge over Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who essentially conceded defeat in the presidential run-off by declaring before supporters: "I congratulate the winner."

A poll released yesterday by the TNS OBOP institute predicted Mr Komorowski winning 53.1% of the vote, and Mr Kaczynski winning 46.9%.

A separate poll, by Millward Brown SMG/KRC, shows Mr Komorowski with nearly 52% and Mr Kaczynski with just over 48%.

Official results based on 95% of polling stations reporting appeared to bear out the exit polls. They showed that Mr Komorowski won 52.63% of the vote and Mr Kaczynski 47.37%, the state electoral commission said early today.

Full results were expected later today.

Mr Komorowski, who wants to smooth the way for the government to continue privatising state-run companies and trim welfare benefits, did not formally claim victory, noting that the votes were still being counted.

"Tonight we open a small bottle of champagne and tomorrow we will open a big bottle," he said before a jubilant crowd of party members in Warsaw.

An election was originally set for autumn but had to be called early to replace President Lech Kaczynski, who died on April 10, in a plane crash in Smolensk, Russia, along with 95 other Poles.

It was the worst tragedy to strike Poland in decades and set a tone for a sombre election campaign free of the dirty political battles that often precedes Polish elections.

"We thank everybody - the more so that it was an unusual campaign, a difficult campaign held in the shadow of catastrophe," Mr Komorowski, 58, said.

Mr Kaczynski, surrounded by supporters chanting "Jaroslaw!" essentially conceded defeat at a campaign party in Warsaw held by his Law and Justice party.

"I congratulate the winner, I congratulate Bronislaw Komorowski," Mr Kaczynski said.

The tragedy of his brother's death reshaped the public image of Mr Kaczynski, who only months ago was one of the country's least popular politicians due to his combative and divisive style.

Many Poles remember the chaotic government he led from 2006-2007 and his zealousness in trying to eliminate former communists from public life - an approach that critics described as a witch hunt.

Mr Kaczynski's supporters were heartened because their candidate did far better than expected weeks ago, showing a late climb in polls and raising their hopes that he could strengthen the power of his opposition Law and Justice party in future elections.

"I would like to mention here the man, the people who are the reason for our being here: my brother and all those killed in the Smolensk catastrophe," Mr Kaczynski said.

"Let us remember them because this result grew out of their martyr-like deaths. A new quality grew out of my brother's work and service, a return to values, a return to patriotism."

Both presidential candidates were former anti-communist activists, but Mr Kaczynski is a nationalist who has worked to promote patriotic and conservative Roman Catholic values, making him popular among rural Poles and older voters, especially those who remember the suffering inflicted on Poland by Germany and the Soviet Union during the Second World War.

Mr Komorowski, the scion of an aristocratic family, has a traditional Catholic background but he favours a greater separation of church and state and stressed the need to look to the future and modernise Poland, the largest of the ex-communist countries to join the European Union in recent years.

Poland's president has many ceremonial duties, but he can also veto laws, and as commander in chief has influence on foreign military operations.

Mr Komorowski's victory would be a huge boost to the pro-EU and pro-business government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk. He is a key member of Mr Tusk's Civic Platform party and would not be expected to veto any new legislation it proposes, including plans to raise the retirement age and trim the welfare state.

"If this result is confirmed, this will be one of the happiest days of my life," Mr Tusk said.