Four decades ago, the Kaczynski twins were blond scamps trying to steal the moon in a film for Soviet-bloc children. By tonight, Lech and Jaroslaw may be half-way to becoming Poland's two most powerful men. The child stars became adult Solidarity activists, then split with the movement to become Poland's most daring political deal-makers before emerging as the tough-talking conservative campaigners whose party is fighting for victory in today's general election. As President Alexander Kwasniewski, a former communist and a friend of George Bush and Tony Blair, sees his allies in the ruling Democratic Left Alliance sunk by a tide of sleaze, Poland's right is set for a landslide victory. Opinion polls have the Jaroslaw Kaczynski-led Law and Justice party (PiS) vying for victory with the business-orientated Civic Platform (PO) in today's vote, and see Lech Kaczynski closing on the Civic Platform chief Donald Tusk a fortnight ahead of the presidential elections.
The child stars became adult Solidarity activists, then split with the movement to become Poland's most daring political deal-makers before emerging as the tough-talking conservative campaigners whose party is fighting for victory in today's general election.
As President Alexander Kwasniewski, a former communist and a friend of George Bush and Tony Blair, sees his allies in the ruling Democratic Left Alliance sunk by a tide of sleaze, Poland's right is set for a landslide victory.
Opinion polls have the Jaroslaw Kaczynski-led Law and Justice party (PiS) vying for victory with the business-orientated Civic Platform (PO) in today's vote, and see Lech Kaczynski closing on the Civic Platform chief Donald Tusk a fortnight ahead of the presidential elections.
Two centre-right parties are expected to defeat Poland's governing ex-communists in parliamentary elections on Sunday. The polls are Poland's first since joining the European Union in May 2004. Since the break-up of the Soviet bloc 16 years ago political power in Poland has alternated between parties which emerged from the Solidarity movement and the ex-communist Democratic Left Alliance. Despite this, the general strategy pursued by Poland has been remarkably consistent: integration with Western institutions like Nato and the EU the creation of a market economy with a strong element of social welfare an eastern policy aimed at establishing a belt of friendly countries between Poland and Russia
The polls are Poland's first since joining the European Union in May 2004.
Since the break-up of the Soviet bloc 16 years ago political power in Poland has alternated between parties which emerged from the Solidarity movement and the ex-communist Democratic Left Alliance.
Despite this, the general strategy pursued by Poland has been remarkably consistent:
integration with Western institutions like Nato and the EU
the creation of a market economy with a strong element of social welfare
an eastern policy aimed at establishing a belt of friendly countries between Poland and Russia
