Update [2005-10-24 4:11:5 by Jerome a Paris]: Just to make the story more understandable...

Twin's win makes Polish politics a double act

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.