Twin's win makes Polish politics a double act
Artykuł pochodzi z pisma "Guardian"
The most intriguing double act in European politics appeared to have scored a sensational victory last night, after the Polish conservative leader Lech Kaczynski won the country's presidential election. A month after his twin Jaroslaw led his party to victory, Mr Kaczynski beat his rival Donald Tusk in yesterday's run-off poll for president.
An exit poll for Polish public television showed Mr Kaczynski leading the race to become president with 52.8% to 47.2% for his rival. Mr Tusk swiftly conceded defeat. "I did not make it," he told his glum supporters last night.
The result confirmed a clear swing in Poland, the European Union's biggest new member state, to the right. Although both candidates came from centre-right parties they had sharply different approaches - with Mr Kaczynski stressing traditional Roman Catholic values and a strong welfare state. Mr Tusk, by contrast, is a free market enthusiast. He also wanted better relations with Poland's neighbours Germany and Russia. Last night Lech Kaczynski told supporters at Warsaw's Soviet-era palace of culture that he had won.
The result represented a remarkable double whammy for the Kaczynski brothers, who began their careers as child film stars with the hit Two Who Stole the Moon. Both joined - and later broke with - Solidarity.
Lech's victory comes four weeks after Jaroslaw's Law and Justice party won the parliamentary elections, defeating the ruling Social Democrats.
The poll verdict is likely to disappoint Tony Blair. His hope of finding allies in his attempts to remould the EU appear to have been confounded again. Mr Tusk, an economic liberaliser who wanted to put Poland in the EU mainstream, would also have been a useful partner.
The twins' presence at the top of Polish politics could prove tricky for visiting heads of state.
The 56-year-old siblings were born 45 minutes apart. They still look identical. The only way to tell them apart, observers say, is to look closely at the younger Lech, who has a mole.
ally- sprzymierzeniec
appear to- wydawać się, zdawać się
approach- podejście
attempt- próba, staranie
by contrast- odwrotnie, przeciwnie
concede- przyznawać; rezygnować
confirm- potwierdzać
confound- powodować zamieszanie; wprawiać w zakłopotanie
glum- ponury, przygaszony
intriguing- interesujący, intrygujący
mainstream- główny nurt, centrum
mole- pieprzyk
poll- sondaż, ankieta
prove- okazywać sie
remarkable- godny uwagi, nadzwyczajny
remould- przemodelować, zmienić zasady
run-off- druga tura (wyborów
score- odnieść, zdobyć
swiftly- prędko, dzybko
swing- zwrot, przesunięcie
tell sb/sth apart (from sb/sth)- odróżnić, rozróżnić
tricky- trudny, skomplikowany, zawiły; podstępny, podchytliwy
welfare- dobrobyt
whammy- urok, zaklęcie
TEST