5 Jul 2010

Komorowski clinches Polish presidential election

7:59 pm on 5 July 2010

With almost all the votes counted in the Polish election, the governing party's candidate is set to become the new president.

Bronislaw Komorowski, a moderate conservative who is currently the acting president, is about 5% ahead of his more right-wing challenger, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, in the second and final round of voting.

Exit polls on Sunday initially gave Mr Komorowski the lead, causing Mr Kaczynski to concede defeat shortly after. Mr Kaczynski then nudged ahead, only to lose the lead again, and this time for good.

The previous president, Mr Kaczynski's twin brother Lech, was one of the 96 people killed in a plane crash at Smolensk, Russia, on 10 April as they flew to a memorial ceremony for the Katyn massacre in World War II.

Mr Komorowski won 41.5% in the first round and Mr Kaczynski 36.5%. Eight other candidates were eliminated.