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| Poland presidential election heads for second round | Poland presidential election heads for second round |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Poland's President Andrzej Duda has topped the first round of voting but must still go into a run-off vote in the presidential election. | Poland's President Andrzej Duda has topped the first round of voting but must still go into a run-off vote in the presidential election. |
| The conservative Mr Duda will face the liberal mayor of Warsaw, Rafal Trzaskowski, in the second-round vote in two weeks' time. | The conservative Mr Duda will face the liberal mayor of Warsaw, Rafal Trzaskowski, in the second-round vote in two weeks' time. |
| With more than 99% of results in, Mr Duda took just under 44% of the vote and Mr Trzaskowski just over 30%. | With more than 99% of results in, Mr Duda took just under 44% of the vote and Mr Trzaskowski just over 30%. |
| Turnout was high despite coronavirus and social-distancing restrictions. | Turnout was high despite coronavirus and social-distancing restrictions. |
| President Duda is an ally of the governing nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party and if he loses, the opposition could push through major changes in Polish politics. | President Duda is an ally of the governing nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party and if he loses, the opposition could push through major changes in Polish politics. |
| The president has the power to veto legislation, so Mr Duda's re-election would be of benefit to PiS, of which he used to be a member. | The president has the power to veto legislation, so Mr Duda's re-election would be of benefit to PiS, of which he used to be a member. |
| Mr Trzaskowski, meanwhile, has pledged to heal rifts with the European Union. Mr Duda's allies have frequently clashed with the bloc over controversial reforms to the judiciary and media. | Mr Trzaskowski, meanwhile, has pledged to heal rifts with the European Union. Mr Duda's allies have frequently clashed with the bloc over controversial reforms to the judiciary and media. |
| Mr Trzaskowski rose fast in the polls after joining the race in May. Previously a member of Donald Tusk's liberal Civic Platform government, he won the capital's race for mayor in 2018 promising "Warsaw for All". | Mr Trzaskowski rose fast in the polls after joining the race in May. Previously a member of Donald Tusk's liberal Civic Platform government, he won the capital's race for mayor in 2018 promising "Warsaw for All". |
| "This is a decisive time. A lot will really depend on this decision," said Poland's anti-communist hero, Lech Walesa, as he voted in the northern port of Gdansk. | "This is a decisive time. A lot will really depend on this decision," said Poland's anti-communist hero, Lech Walesa, as he voted in the northern port of Gdansk. |
| Last week, Mr Duda travelled to Washington and received a ringing endorsement from President Donald Trump. | Last week, Mr Duda travelled to Washington and received a ringing endorsement from President Donald Trump. |
| "He's doing a terrific job," said President Trump, in what was widely seen as a domestic boost for Mr Duda. "The people of Poland think the world of him." | "He's doing a terrific job," said President Trump, in what was widely seen as a domestic boost for Mr Duda. "The people of Poland think the world of him." |
| Poland's election had been due to take place in May, when Mr Duda was higher in the polls and stood a better chance of winning in the first round. | Poland's election had been due to take place in May, when Mr Duda was higher in the polls and stood a better chance of winning in the first round. |
| Although the epidemic had not yet peaked, the government was desperate for the May vote to go ahead. It eventually backed down when a junior coalition partner joined the opposition in saying PiS were putting politics before public health. | Although the epidemic had not yet peaked, the government was desperate for the May vote to go ahead. It eventually backed down when a junior coalition partner joined the opposition in saying PiS were putting politics before public health. |
| A fascinating run-off ahead | A fascinating run-off ahead |
| By BBC Monitoring | |
| Polish media say the outcome of the first round of the presidential poll augurs a vitally significant run-off vote on 12 July. | Polish media say the outcome of the first round of the presidential poll augurs a vitally significant run-off vote on 12 July. |
| Centre-left daily Gazeta Wyborcza say Poles will make a "civilisational choice" next month between a "democratic and an authoritarian Poland". | Centre-left daily Gazeta Wyborcza say Poles will make a "civilisational choice" next month between a "democratic and an authoritarian Poland". |
| Polityka weekly says Andrzej Duda's performance augurs well for the incumbent president: "There has never been a time when a candidate with such an advantage in the first round went on to lose in the second." | Polityka weekly says Andrzej Duda's performance augurs well for the incumbent president: "There has never been a time when a candidate with such an advantage in the first round went on to lose in the second." |
| But Gazeta Wyborcza reports that public broadcaster TVP's "propaganda machine suffered a spectacular defeat. It did not drag down Trzaskowski's ratings despite its hate campaign, and even shaped his image as Duda's most dangerous rival." | But Gazeta Wyborcza reports that public broadcaster TVP's "propaganda machine suffered a spectacular defeat. It did not drag down Trzaskowski's ratings despite its hate campaign, and even shaped his image as Duda's most dangerous rival." |
| Commentators say a fortnight of intense campaigning lies ahead. According to conservative daily Rzeczpospolita, Mr Duda's problem "is that his traditional PiS support must have been mobilised almost to the limit". | Commentators say a fortnight of intense campaigning lies ahead. According to conservative daily Rzeczpospolita, Mr Duda's problem "is that his traditional PiS support must have been mobilised almost to the limit". |
| "The president will face a difficult choice: to continue to beat the drums of war to mobilise his army, or perhaps to try and build bridges... One thing is certain: on 12 July we will have a fascinating election night." | "The president will face a difficult choice: to continue to beat the drums of war to mobilise his army, or perhaps to try and build bridges... One thing is certain: on 12 July we will have a fascinating election night." |