Poland has a new president — well, new in the sense that he was elected and not thrust into the role. On Sunday night, acting President Bronislaw Komorowski, who took over the post from the late Lech Kaczynski after the latter was killed in a plane crash last spring, emerged victorious from his country’s election, beating Kaczynski’s twin brother Jaroslaw in the vote. –KA

AP via Google News:

Komorowski has pledged to work with the government closely to support its program of modernizing Poland and trimming the welfare state. Any painful changes could hurt [Prime Minister Donald] Tusk in next year’s elections. Among reforms the government wants is an increase in the retirement age. Currently women can retire at 60 and men at 65.

The election was held months ahead of schedule because President Lech Kaczynski was killed in a plane crash in western Russia in April. His identical twin brother, Jaroslaw, a relatively unpopular politician just months ago, made a run for the seat and won significant support after shedding his combative image and benefiting from a surge of sympathy over the loss of his brother.

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