Tusk's Civic Coalition wins EU vote, edges out Law and Justice

Donald Tusk, the Prime Minister of Poland casts his vote at the polling station in Warsaw during the EU parliamentary elections. Attila Husejnow/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

Prime Minister Donald Tusk's centrist Civic Coalition has won the European elections in Poland, according to the official figures published by the country's electoral commission on Monday morning.

Tusk's party got 37.1% of the vote, translating to 21 members of the European Parliament.

"We have waited exactly 10 years for the first place on the podium. I am so happy," a visibly moved Tusk said on Sunday evening after initial forecasts projected the result.

The largest opposition party, the nationalist conservative Law and Justice party (PiS), came second with 36.2% of the vote, meaning it will send 20 lawmakers to the parliament.

The third strongest party was the radical right-wing Confederation with 12.1%, or six MEPs.

The last two places were taken by the two smaller coalition partners, who domestically form the centre-left government with Tusk's party. The Christian democratic Third Way received 6.9%, or three MEPs, and The Left alliance received 6.3% of the vote and will have also three MEPs.

The Polish electoral commission said voter turnout was 40.65%.

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