The Army of Mohair Berets fail!

Following on from yesterday's post...it is an historical day here in Poland...as it looks as if Prime Minister Kaczynski and his PiS party have been defeated. With a third of the ballot counted, Donald Tusk and his Civic Platform party are on track to win 40% of the vote. Kaczynski has already admitted defeat.

To read more about it (in English), click here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7054912.stm

Polish Election Day

Today, here in Poland there is a snap election...called 2 years ahead of schedule. Some are calling these elections the most important since the fall of Communism in 1989. The poll was called after the collapse of Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczynski's coalition government in a row over an investigation into corruption.

Kaczynski is still running for Prime Minister with his PiS party...but there is strong competition from Donald Tusk and the Civic Platform party. Kaczynski is incredibly unpopular...but that does not mean he will not win again. To their credit the PIS party has Radio Mariya and its "army of mohair berets"...old OAPs who have been 'brainwashed' by the station to vote for PIS. If the turnout is as low as it was two years ago (60% failed to vote)...they may just win again!

Election fever has gripped Poland in the past month, and there are campaign posters everywhere. It's even surprising to see some displayed in shop windows!