Official Election Results Awaited, Ruling Party Prepares For "Worst-Case Scenario"

Ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party's representatives expressed readiness to negotiate with other political blocs, while source reports indicated that the party was hopeful that its official result would be better for them than suggested by opinion polls, which showed that pro-EU opposition parties should be able to form the next government.

• Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told Polsat News that PiS can "talk to anyone" and intends to make an attempt at government formation. Separately, PiS campaign staff head Joachim Brudzinski told RMF FM that the party may try to enter talks with centre-right PSL, one of the constituent parties of the Third Way.
• However, PSL chief Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz ruled out any coalition with PiS this morning. Szymon Holownia, leader of the other constituent party of the Third Way, had also taken any coalition agreement with PiS off the table, with pro-EU parties repeatedly declaring that they intend to govern together.
• Separately, Newsweek reports that the two largest parties are analysing the methodology behind the exit poll, focusing on the non-response rate believed to be around 12%. Note that the pollster needs to impute the voting intentions of voters who refused to participate in the exit poll, which creates some uncertainty.
• Sources told Onet that PiS are hoping that the exit poll and late poll will be off the mark and they could cling to power. This could happen if the difference between the late poll and official results was very large, or if Confederation fell below the 5% electoral threshold, failing to make it into parliament - which is highly unlikely.
• A PiS source told Onet: "we have a plan in case the worst happens and we are ready, if this worst-case scenario materialises, to implement it point by point and make it difficult for the opposition to form government and rule". This comes after PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski said that he "will not allow Poland to be betrayed".