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WARSAW, Poland – Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has reported a cyberattack targeting his centrist Civic Platform party, raising concerns about potential foreign meddling from the east—possibly Russia or Belarus—ahead of Poland’s upcoming presidential election next month. This election interference incident comes as Poland prepares for a crucial vote, highlighting the vulnerability of political processes to digital threats.
Prime Minister Tusk Reports Cyberattack on Civic Platform
Tusk communicated the incident via the social media platform X, stating that the computer systems of his Civic Platform party were the subject of a targeted cyber intrusion.
“Foreign Interference in Elections” Suspected
“Foreign interference in elections begins. Services point to eastern trace,” Tusk declared, implying a possible link to nations situated to Poland’s east.
Details of the Cyber Incident
Jan Grabiec, head of Tusk’s office, informed the Polish state news agency PAP that the cyberattack involved an attempt to gain unauthorized access to computers used by Civic Platform employees and election staff. This digital assault spanned approximately twelve hours on Wednesday.
Potential Eastern European Origin
When questioned if Tusk was specifically implicating Russia or Belarus, Grabiec deferred to Poland’s intelligence agencies for definitive attribution. However, he noted previous instances where Belarusian actors had infiltrated Polish systems on behalf of Russian intelligence services.
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Poland Gears Up for Presidential Election Amidst Cyber Concerns
Poland is approaching the first round of its presidential election, scheduled for May 18. The reported cyberattack adds a layer of complexity to the political landscape as the nation prepares to vote.
Frontrunner and Key Candidates
The leading candidate is Rafał Trzaskowski, the Mayor of Warsaw and a pro-European Union centrist representing Civic Platform. Trzaskowski’s polling figures currently stand around 35%.
His primary challengers include Karol Nawrocki, a conservative supported by the Law and Justice party, who polls second at just over 20%, and Sławomir Mentzen, co-leader of the far-right Confederation, also polling around 20%.
Potential Runoff Election
Should no candidate secure an outright majority of at least 50% of the vote on May 18, a runoff election is scheduled for June 1.