The decisive battle for the future of our homeland will take place this fall and we must win, we must win ever more than today, said the chairman of Law and Justice Jarosław Kaczyński on Sunday after exit polls have been released.
Poland's ruling nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party came ahead in Sunday's European Parliament election, with 43,1% of the vote, a late poll showed.
The opposition European Coalition - comprising the Civic Platform formerly led by European Council President Donald Tusk and a motley of leftist and rural politicians - scored second with 38,4%, late poll by Ipsos pollster showed.
Sunday's ballot is seen as a popularity test for PiS ahead of a national vote due in October or November that will decide whether central Europe's largest economy can overcome its growing isolation within the EU.
Kaczyński: decisive battle this fall
After late polls have been released, Jarosław Kaczyński gave a short speech in Law and Justice's electoral headquarters. He gave thanks to all "advisers, sociologists and everyone who had worked with great effort all this time, in better and worse times, who didn't give up when it seemed that it might have been worse, who worked, worked and worked once more".
"Today is a very important today, we must acknowledge this importance, we must acknowledge the our autonomous character of our victory in this election. Huge challenges await our MEPs, however, we must remember that the decisive battle for the future of our homeland will take place this fall. We must win again and win even more than today," said the chairman of Law and Justice.
He stressed the importance and gravity of the challenges that new MEPs will face.
"This is a huge challenge. We must rise up to it," said Kaczyński.
He added: "I hope that we will be celebrating in this very place again in October, because it's lucky for us".
PiS members and representatives were chanting in unison: "We shall win, we shall win, we shall win."
Autor: gf / Źródło: TVN24 News in English, PAP