WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk enjoyed a strong lead over his conservative rival and predecessor Jaroslaw Kaczynski in parliamentary elections, with his centrist party set to become the first ever in Poland's post-communist era to win a second consecutive term.
That feat underlines the growing political stability in Poland, a central European nation of 38 million whose economy has flourished since it joined the European Union in 2004.
Official results are expected Monday, but exit polls released after Sunday's voting gave a comfortable lead to Tusk's Civic Platform, a centrist and pro-European party that has presided over the four years of growth even amid decline elsewhere on the continent.
In another first, a new left-wing party that supports gay rights, the legalization of marijuana and other liberal causes was poised to gain representation in parliament. The party's quick rise comes amid disillusionment with the established parties, but also seems to be a sign of deepening secular sentiment in this traditionally conservative and Catholic nation.
One exit poll gave Tusk's party nearly 40 percent support, well ahead of its main challenger, the conservative Law and Justice party of Kaczynski. The poll, by the TNS OBOP institute, showed Kaczynski's party winning 30 percent of the votes.
The new party, Palikot's Movement, was in third place in the exit poll with 10 percent. Led by entrepreneur and maverick lawmaker Janusz Palikot, the party gained popularity promising to fight the power of the Roman Catholic church in public life. Unlike in secular Western Europe, the church still has great influence in public life, which can be seen in the strict abortion laws and in the presence of crosses in many public offices.
"It is amazing that millions of Poles want a secular, friendly, civic and social state," Palikot said, clearly relishing his strong showing.
Tusk's apparent victory appears to be a rewards for presiding over four years of impressive economic growth — a feat attributed to an inflow of EU funds and a large domestic market of 38 million that maintained an appetite for consumption.
"In those four years, they have given proof of competence as leaders of the state and allowed us to live in peace and security," said 80-year-old Michal Wronski, a retired engineer who cast a ballot for Tusk in Warsaw.
The country has also seen a boom in construction in its major cities thanks in part to preparations to co-host the Euro 2012 football championship next year. Poles have watched as dilapidated train stations morph into sleek, modern hubs and as modern stadiums have mushroomed in some cities.
Tusk's government has privatized some state industries and has tried to build better ties with European Union allies as well as Russia. However, its critics fault it for lacking the will to make deeper reaching reforms.
"It is the highest honor for me and for Civic Platform that we will be working for the next four years for all of you, regardless of who you voted for today," Tusk told jubilant supporters. "In these coming four years we will have to work twice as hard, we will have to act twice as fast."
Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski, a leading member of Tusk's party, called the party's showing "confirmation that our concept of European cooperation and modernization of Poland is finding approval."
Civic Platform leaders indicated Sunday that they were interested in continuing their coalition with the Polish People's Party, the junior partner of the past four years. The Polish People's Party is a small farm-based group with conservative social values that favors the interests of farmers. It has 8.2 percent support in the exit poll.
Tusk said coalition talks would begin Monday.
Kaczynski, the twin brother of President Lech Kaczynski, who died in a plane crash last year, acknowledged his defeat at his party's election night gathering.
"I am deeply convinced that the day will come when we will succeed," he added. "Sooner or later we'll win because we are simply in the right."
The only other party that would make it into parliament is the Democratic Left Alliance, with 7.7 percent in the poll. That marks a sharp decline from elections four years ago, when the party won 13 percent. The party appeared to lose voters to Palikot's Movement, which shares many of its ideological positions, like its support for gay rights and women's causes.
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Vanessa Gera contributed from Warsaw.
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