Polish PM Tusk’s Civic Coalition seen ahead in EU vote-exit poll

“We have shown that our choices, our efforts, have a much broader dimension than just our national issues … we have shown that we are a beacon of hope for Europe,” he told supporters after the exit poll results were announced.

According to the IPSOS exit poll, KO won 38.2% of votes, ahead of PiS who had 33.9%. KO’s partners in the pro-European coalition government which took power in December, the centre-right Third Way and the Left, got 8.2% and 6.6% respectively.

The far-right Confederation party scored 11.9%. If confirmed, the result would mark the end of a decade-long run of first-place election finishes for PiS.

PiS says Tusk, a former European Council president, is subservient to Poland’s larger neighbour Germany and accuses him of hypocrisy for criticising tough PiS policies towards migrants on the Belarus border while in opposition before implementing similar measures in government. Final results are likely to be announced on Monday.