In a statement after exit poll findings were released on Sunday night, Tusk praised Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski for confirming his status as a leading figure in Poland's democratic local governance.
"Trzaskowski has confirmed that he is the leader of democratic local government in Poland, achieving a spectacular result," Tusk said, emphasizing the significance of this victory for his government four months after a closely-fought parliamentary election.
"Today, we celebrate a significant triumph for democratic Poland," Tusk told supporters, as quoted by state news agency PAP. "Rafał Trzaskowski's remarkable victory in Warsaw underscores our shared commitment to a future shaped by hope, respect and responsibility."
Tusk described the local election results as a reinforcement of the democratic mandate for his pro-EU coalition, which came to power after parliamentary elections last October.
"This repetition of our success from October in the April elections marks a determined stride forward in our journey towards a prosperous, inclusive Poland," he declared.
Tusk's ruling liberal Civic Coalition (KO) group came second in Poland’s local government elections on Sunday, narrowly outperformed by the opposition conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, according to an exit poll.
The Eurosceptic PiS party, which governed the country from 2015 until late last year, won 33.7 percent of the vote in elections to regional assemblies, vs. 31.9 percent for the pro-European Civic Coalition, the exit poll found.
The center-right Third Way group, a junior government coalition partner, finished third with 13.5 percent, and the Left party, another member of Tusk's governing coalition, came in fifth, gaining 6.8 percent, according to the survey by pollster Ipsos.
Trzaskowski, who was re-elected mayor of the Polish capital after securing well over half the vote, according to Ipsos, echoed Tusk's sentiments, describing the election as "a milestone against the populist tide" led by the conservative PiS party.
"This victory is more than a personal achievement; it's a clear message that Poland aspires to be a nation of openness, tolerance and European values," Trzaskowski said, expressing his gratitude to voters in Warsaw and Tusk for his unwavering support.
Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski. Photo: PAP/Paweł Supernak
Trzaskowski's strong showing sparked discussions about his potential candidacy for the national presidency.
Prominent liberal politician Tomasz Siemoniak, who is minister in charge of Poland's security services in Tusk's government, suggested that Trzaskowski's strong mandate could be "the precursor to a presidential bid."
Trzaskowski's "impressive win positions him as a frontrunner for the national presidency, marking a pivotal moment in Poland's political discourse," Siemoniak said.
(jh/gs)
Source: PAP
