European Parliament election, 2019 (Poland)

European Parliament election, 2019 (Poland). The European Parliament election in Poland took place on 26 May 2019, with Polish voters electing 52 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to represent them in the European Parliament. This election was part of the larger 2019 European Parliament election, which saw voters from all 28 European Union member states, including Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, electing MEPs to the European Parliament. The election in Poland was contested by several major parties, including the Law and Justice party, led by Jarosław Kaczyński, and the Civic Platform, led by Grzegorz Schetyna.

Background

The European Parliament election, 2019 (Poland) was held in the context of the broader 2019 European Parliament election, which was marked by a high level of turnout across the European Union, including in countries such as Spain, Italy, and Sweden. In Poland, the election was seen as a key test for the ruling Law and Justice party, which had been in power since 2015 and had implemented a range of policies, including those related to judicial reform and migration, which had been criticized by the European Commission and other European Union institutions, such as the European Court of Justice and the European Council. The election was also contested by other major parties, including the Civic Platform, the Polish People's Party, and the Democratic Left Alliance, which were all seeking to gain representation in the European Parliament and influence the direction of European Union policy, including on issues such as the European Green Deal and the Digital Single Market.

Opinion polls

In the run-up to the election, a range of opinion polls were conducted by organizations such as CBOS, Ipsos, and TNS Polska, which suggested that the Law and Justice party was likely to emerge as the largest party in Poland, followed by the Civic Platform and other opposition parties, including the Spring party, led by Robert Biedroń, and the Wiosna party, led by Barbara Nowacka. These polls also suggested that the election would be marked by a high level of turnout, particularly among young voters, who were seen as being increasingly engaged with European Union issues, including those related to climate change and social justice, and were likely to vote for parties such as the Greens and the Social Democrats, which had a strong presence in the European Parliament and were led by figures such as Ska Keller and Frans Timmermans.

Results

The results of the election saw the Law and Justice party emerge as the largest party in Poland, with 45.38% of the vote, followed by the European Coalition, which included the Civic Platform and other opposition parties, with 38.47% of the vote. The Spring party, led by Robert Biedroń, also performed well, winning 6.09% of the vote, while the Polish People's Party won 5.24% of the vote. The results were seen as a significant victory for the Law and Justice party, which had campaigned on a range of issues, including immigration and economic development, and had been supported by figures such as Mateusz Morawiecki and Beata Szydło. The results were also seen as a disappointment for the Civic Platform, which had been hoping to make gains and challenge the dominance of the Law and Justice party, and had been supported by figures such as Donald Tusk and Radosław Sikorski.

Elected members

The election saw a range of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) elected to represent Poland in the European Parliament, including figures such as Adam Bielan, Joanna Kopcińska, and Beata Mazurek, who were all elected for the Law and Justice party, and Radosław Sikorski, Danuta Hübner, and Janusz Lewandowski, who were all elected for the Civic Platform. Other parties, such as the Spring party and the Polish People's Party, also had MEPs elected, including Robert Biedroń and Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. These MEPs will represent Poland in the European Parliament for the next five years, working on issues such as the European Union's multiannual financial framework and the European Green Deal, and will be part of European Parliament groups such as the European People's Party and the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats.

Aftermath

The aftermath of the election saw the Law and Justice party celebrate its victory, with Jarosław Kaczyński hailing the result as a "great success" for the party, while the Civic Platform and other opposition parties conceded defeat and vowed to continue to challenge the ruling party, including on issues such as judicial reform and media freedom, which had been the subject of controversy and criticism from organizations such as the European Commission and the Council of Europe. The election was also seen as having implications for the broader European Union, including the European Parliament and the European Council, and was closely watched by leaders such as Angela Merkel, Emmanuel Macron, and Ursula von der Leyen, who were all seeking to shape the direction of European Union policy and respond to challenges such as Brexit and the migration crisis. The election was also seen as an important test for the European Union's democratic institutions, including the European Parliament and the European Court of Justice, and was widely covered in the media, including by outlets such as the Financial Times, The New York Times, and Le Monde. Category:European Parliament elections