Photo Gallery One Kaczynski Down
Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski conceded defeat on Sunday. His right-wing Law and Justice Party had swept to power in 2005 swearing to "clean up" Polish politics.
Opposition leader Donald Tusk, who heads the free-market Civic Platform (PO) party, looks set to become Poland's next prime minister -- probably in a coalition with the centrist Peasants' Party.
Voter turnout -- at 55 percent -- was higher than expected, and some voters had to wait around Sunday because of a lack of ballot papers.
Nevertheless, Civic Platform's victory was the most decisive for any single party in Poland since Communism fell in 1989.
Law and Justice (PiS) supporters were less enthusiastic. Prime Minister Kaczynski had called Sunday's snap election to shore up his party's support. Instead, an electorate frustrated with Kaczynski's hard-right rule has ousted him.
Happier days: Lech Kaczynski, right, with his twin brother Jaroslaw in 2005, just before Law and Justice came to power. Lech was elected separately as president and will serve out his term until 2010.
