Applause for Poland

Berlin's Die Welt took a look back at Jaroslaw Kaczynski's track record to explain the results of the election. "It could have been so easy for the nationalist conservative Kaczynski to win. His country is currently experiencing … its most fortunate, happiest time in 300 years. That he did not take advantage of this unique opportunity goes to show what a poor take on reality he has. But he viewed himself as more than a 'mere' politician; he considered himself more a revolutionary who claimed the moral authority to bend the constitutional state at will and to disregard the conventions of democracy," the paper wrote.

Switzerland's Neue Zürcher Zeitung expressed similar sentiments. "The government not only lost the election because it was confronted with an 'exemplary, comprehensive attack front,' but also because many Polish people were tired of the prime minister's aggressive, confrontational manner. In addition, the government's record was nothing to brag about. It slid from one domestic crisis into another. It hardly contributed to the current economic boom in the country and missed the chance to tackle the required reforms. Kaczynski's government was wrought with scandals, staff suspensions, resignations, allegations, and tactical confusion. His government stirred up a lot of dust, but did not accomplish much."

The German business paper Handelsblatt from Düsseldorf looked ahead: "Poland is going to need a little time to shed its historical sensitivities, overcome the burdens of transformation and truly become a part of Europe. We should give this country that chance and remain patient -- particularly those of us in Germany. We have a historical responsibility toward Poland, and we are benefiting tremendously from its integration. This process will likely go faster with Donald Tusk at the helm. It will, in any case, be more pleasant," the paper noted.

The Dutch paper De Volkskrant took a pragmatic view of Poland's election results. "It would be a misconception to think that the mood will change completely in the country. Patriotic sentiments are and will remain intense. Warsaw will not suddenly start greeting Brussels warmly. [Tusk's] Civic Platform is a (neo-)liberal party with a significant conservative wing. In addition, President Lech Kaczynski [Jaroslaw's twin brother] is in office until 2010. He can to block proposed legislation with his presidential veto power. While it's possible to override a veto with a three-fifths majority, frequent repeats could lead to a form of static warfare. Then, Poland would be jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire."

France's Le Figaro was also hesitant to believe Poland's ties with Europe would improve overnight. "After two years of repeated crises, the Polish people have now mobilized themselves to bring to an end to a chaotic campaign of shrugging off the country's legacy of communism, an anticorruption battle worthy of an Orwell novel and diplomatic posturings that have left the European Union on the edge of a nervous breakdown. … It's now up to the [Civic Platform] to reach out and repair the damage. The party has already said its mission is to 'reestablish Poland in the heart of Europe' -- a declaration of intention received with caution by observers who remember that the conservative wing of this formation was, for a long time, on the same wave length as the Kaczynski brothers."

Austria's Die Presse wrote: "As president and prime minister, Lech and Jaroslaw Kaczynski stole … one thing from all of Europe: time. Their election debacle gives us hope that the senseless blockades, historical blame games and embarrassing demands from Warsaw will finally come to an end. Leading politicians, not just in Brussels, but in many EU capitals, are now breathing a sigh of relief after the victory of the right-wing liberal Civic Platform."