Older, rural voters tip Poland's election to the incumbent
- Dave Lawler, author of Axios World
President Andrzej Duda was re-elected Sunday in the tightest election in modern Polish history, with 51% of the vote to 49% for Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski.
Why it matters: The populist ruling party, Law and Justice, is now expected to press ahead with steps that critics say are eroding the independence of the courts and media, and have brought Poland into conflict with the EU.
The election was fought on culture wars. Duda claimed Trzaskowski would allow homosexual "ideology" to take hold in Poland, while the government-aligned state broadcaster warned that Trzaskowski could allow Jewish people to reclaim assets taken during the Holocaust.
Breaking it down: Trzaskowski, a centrist Europhile, dominated in cities, in more affluent western Poland, and among younger voters. Older voters overwhelmingly backed Duda.