Poland Has New President

The Polish Parliament has inaugurated Bronislav Komorowski as Poland’s new president in Warsaw on Friday (August 6, 2010). His predecessor Lech Kaczynski passed away in a dodgy but tragic aircraft accident (with his wife and official government delegation) en route to a Polish commemorative event in Russia earlier this year. The early presidential election saw a strong political campaign between Komorowski and Jaroslaw Kaczynski (identical twin brother of Lech Kaczynski).  On July 4, Komorowski won the second round in the election by 53.01%. Former presidents and Solidarity icon Lech Walensa and Aleksander Kwasniewski were present at his inauguration. However Jaroslaw Kaczynski declined to show up.