Independent wins Kraków mayorship first round, as far right sees setback for Tusk – POLITICO

Independent Łukasz Gibała won Sunday’s snap mayoral election in Kraków, Poland’s second-largest city, setting up an Oct. 11 runoff against a candidate backed by Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s Civic Coalition.

The contest in Kraków, pop. 800,000, was seen as a test of political strength for Civic Coalition ahead of the country’s parliamentary elections a year from now. The runoff offers Tusk’s camp a chance to regain the mayoralty after Civic Coalition Mayor Aleksander Miszalski was removed in a May referendum — a result Poland’s right-wing opposition portrayed as a setback for the government.

Gibała nevertheless finished well ahead of Tusk’s preferred candidate, Senator Monika Piątkowska, winning 36.6% against Piątkowska’s 24.4%, according to an Ipsos exit poll released after polling stations closed at 9 p.m. No candidate took the 50% needed for outright victory.