Bronislaw Komorowski - the dawn of a new liberal age

He narrowly defeated the former President’s twin brother Jaroslaw with 52.6% of the vote.

The 58-year-old, who was formerly the country’s defence minister, is now in a position to push through economic reforms that had been opposed by the right-wing Kaczynski brothers.

The veteran politician, who is the son of an impoverished count, represents his Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s Civic Platform (PO) party, which wants health, media and pension reforms.

Komorowski grew up in a working class suburb of Warsaw and eventually became a professor of history.

Opposition to communist rule

The father of five was involved in politics as far back as the 1970s, when he was arrested for taking part in rallies organised by the anti-communist Solidarity movement.

He was sent to an internment camp in 1981 when Poland was put under martial law.

Later in 1989, he joined the administration of Tadeusz Mazowiecki, who led Poland’s first non-communist government since the Second World War.

Since then Komorowski has held numerous government positions, including as defence minister from 2000-2001.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk now has an important ally in Komorowski, as the PO party attempts to cut Poland’s spiralling deficit without imperilling the economic growth of the biggest country of the former Communist Bloc not to enter recession last year.

His election will be welcome news in both Russia and the EU, where relations had deteriorated under Kaczynskis.