Civic Coalition Surges In Polling Support As Former PM Tusk Returns

The main opposition centrist Civic Coalition has recorded a significant increase in support in the latest Kantar opinion poll as voters flock back to the party following the return of former Prime Minister Donald Tusk to the party's leadership.

• Kantar poll: United Right: 33% (-1), Civic Coalition (KO): 28% (+7), Poland 2050: 17% (-7), Confederation: 8% (-1). The Left: 8% (+1), Polish People's Party (PSL): 3% (-1), Kukiz'15: 1%. +/- vs. 24-25 June 2021. Fieldwork: 9-11 July 2021. Sample size: 583
• Tusk has not been active in Polish politics for some years, having served five years as President of the European Council and following that as head of the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) group in Brussels.
• Taking the leadership of the Civic Platform - the largest party in the Civic Coalition alliance - Tusk stated that "I know that many Poles were waiting for this black dream to be over [...] Today, evil rules in Poland and we are ready to fight against this evil."
• The rise in support for the Civic Coalition seems to have come primarily at the expense of the populist pro-EU Poland 2050 movement of TV personality and journalist Szymon Holownia. The governing United Right alliance - dominated by the right-wing social conservative Law and Justice Party - remains the most popular single party.
• However, polls show that at present should the Civic Coalition, Poland 2050 and The Left combine their forces ahead of the election it would likely prove sufficient to oust the gov't of PM Mateusz Morawiecki.