Komorowski win strengthens Polish government

Sunday’s presidential election was held months ahead of schedule after Lech Kaczynski was killed in a plane crash in western Russia on April 10 along with his wife and some of the nation’s top military, civilian and religious figures. His identical twin brother Jaroslaw, a relatively unpopular politician just months ago, won significant support after shedding his once-combative image and benefiting from a surge of sympathy over the loss of his brother.

Memories of a chaotic government that he led from 2006-2007 probably helped keep him from victory, but his strong showing has boosted his followers’ hopes that he might regain power in coming elections.

Komorowski’s victory is welcome news for leaders in Berlin and Brussels. Jaroslaw Kaczynski is a noted nationalist and euroskeptic reluctant to adopt the euro currency or to cede much sovereignty to the EU. When he was prime minister, his government was often at loggerheads with officials in Brussels.

Both Kaczynski twins were also suspicious of Germany and Russia, and frequently made a political issue of the past suffering inflicted on them by the large neighboring countries.

“Komorowski’s victory is good news for Poland’s foreign relations,” IHS Global Insight analysts Blanka Kolenikova and Ralf Wiegert wrote in a note Monday.

Germany’s new president, Christian Wulff, congratulated Komorowski on his victory and said that he would visit Warsaw early next week for talks with the new head of state.

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Associated Press Writer Monika Scislowska contributed to this report.