The Winners and Losers of Poland’s Election

A competition that unexpectedly saw political fortunes rise and fall

27 October 2023

The long race of Poland’s election has finally drawn to a close, but who were the real winners and losers of the competition?

On 15 October 2023, Poles went to the polls to elect a new parliament and government. Unexpectedly, the opposition triumphed after a protracted and gruelling campaign that resembled a marathon in many ways. Fittingly, Poland’s opposition was led by Donald Tusk, an avid runner.

Tusk once wrote on social media about his goals before a 20km race in 2018 – “Minimum: to survive; Realistic: to reach the finish line.” This time around, he and the opposition finished strong, not just surviving but breaking the tape as winners. But, like every running competition, the Polish election also had its losers.

In the spirit of my favourite website, Letsrun.com, here are those individuals and groups that initially seem to have won, lost or just survived Poland’s 2023 contest.

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Rodger Potocki

Rodger Potocki is a US-based independent consultant, historian and lecturer working on Central Europe. For over 30 years, he served at the National Endowment for Democracy, fostering human rights and democracy in Central and Eastern Europe. He is also an avid runner.

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