Poland’s incumbent President Andrzej Duda holds a slender guide after Sunday’s presidential election, in accordance to an exit poll.

The vote is becoming described as the closest outcome due to the fact the slide of communism in 1989.

The exit poll indicates Mr Duda, an ally of the conservative authorities, has 50.4% of the vote, properly within just the margin of error.

He was pitted versus the socially liberal Warsaw mayor Rafal Trzaskowski.

The vote has been commonly viewed as a fight for the country’s long run as very well as its strained relations with the European Union.

Mr Trzaskowski received 49.6% of the vote, according to the exit poll, which pollster Ipsos explained had a margin of error of two proportion details. Official results are envisioned on Monday.

“I want to thank anyone that voted for me,” Mr Duda told supporters soon just after the exit poll was announced.

He reported the turnout was nearly 70%, which would be a record superior for a presidential election since the fall of communism.

A gain for Mr Duda is anticipated to herald controversial modifications to the judiciary and ongoing opposition to abortion and homosexual rights.

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He came beneath hearth all through the election, including for a speech in which he explained LGBT rights were an “ideology” a lot more harmful than communism.

Speaking on the last day of campaigning on Friday, Mr Duda claimed he would continue on strengthening the Polish point out, “built on our inviolable custom which is sacred to all of us and in which we have been brought up for generations”.

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Mr Trzaskowski, meanwhile, has backed a extra progressive agenda and an energetic purpose in the European Union. The liberal politician rose speedy in the polls right after joining the race in May perhaps. Earlier a member of Donald Tusk’s liberal Civic System government, he received the capital’s race for mayor in 2018 promising “Warsaw for All”.

He said Polish voters would by no means have yet another probability to transform Poland’s course.

“All we need is to depend the votes. The night time will be tense but I am specific that when the votes are counted, we will gain,” Mr Trzaskowski explained to supporters on Sunday.

The closest election since communism

If the exit poll is confirmed this is effortlessly the closest presidential election in Poland considering that the fall of communism in 1989.

In the poll unveiled quickly immediately after voting ended, President Duda gained by fewer than 1%, which is nicely within the margin of error. If the formal rely is that restricted, either losing candidate could determine to challenge the final result.

Both President Duda and Mr Trzaskowski spoke about victory in remarks instantly after the voting ended. Neither was prepared to concede.

Turnout was also at a record significant in accordance to the exit poll, with both equally candidates presenting voters a distinctive vision for the potential. For President Duda that signifies social conservatism and generous money gains for family members.

Mr Trzaskowski is far more progressive and he has pledged to use the presidential power of veto to block the government’s alterations to the judiciary, which have been criticised by the EU for undermining the rule of regulation.

Mr Duda topped the initial round of voting final month with a convincing lead but fell shorter of the 50% required to earn outright.

The election had been because of to get put in May perhaps, when Mr Duda was bigger in the polls and stood a better possibility of profitable in the to start with spherical.

Even though the coronavirus pandemic experienced not however peaked, the federal government was determined for the May possibly vote to go ahead. It sooner or later backed down when a junior coalition associate joined the opposition in expressing the governing nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) occasion were being placing politics prior to general public health and fitness.