Andrezj Duda of the PIS Conservative party has been elected the new president of Poland, defeating incumbetnt Bronislaw Komorowski.
According to the preliminary reports Duda has got 53 percent votes. The sitting president conceded defeat and congratulated the 43-year-old Duda.
Duda had won the first round on 10 May by only 1 percent. In the second round he comprehensively defeated Komorowski after a very bitter campaign. In the first round there were 12 candidates but the second round saw a direct fight between the two candidates.
The presidential powers are normally ceremonial without much say in ruling the government. But he remains the supreme commander of the defence forces.
The defeat of Komorowski has created gloom for the ruling party, Civic Platform, led by Ewa Kopach.She will now face a bigger challenge for the parliamentary elections which will take place in November.
Duda is a new face in Polish politics and his energetic personality is likely to create problems for the present government. His term of office will last till May 2020.
(Surender Bhutani is a Warsaw-based journalist. He can be contacted at suren84ind@gmail.com)
