Solidarity Wins Seats in Poland Election

WARSAW--Solidarity won a land-slide victory in Poland's most democratic elections in more than 40 years, the Communist Party leaders said yesterday. Apparently, dozens of senior officials were turned out of Parliament.

The astounding admission of defeat--two days before the official results of Sunday's voting were to be released--came in a statement at the start of the evening newscast by party spokesperson Jan Bisztyga, who was shown sitting at the elbow of Solidarity national spokesperson Janusz Onyszkiewicz.

A special slate of prominent government officials was overwhelmingly rejected by voters.

"The results are genuinely unfavorable for the [party-led] coalition," Bisztyga said. "The elections had a plebiscite nature and Solidarity got a decided majority."

Coalition

He reminded viewers that Gen. Wojciech Jaruzelski, the country's leader and head of the Communist Party, offered Friday to form a "grand coalition" after the election with the opposition.

"The first step of the opposition toward this is joint concern about order in the country," said Bisztyga.

It appeared possible that at least some government ministries might be offered to Solidarity. The free trade union movement shunned such offers in the past, saying it prefers to remain in opposition.

However, Solidarity was not emphatically ruling it out yesterday.

"Solidarity's participation in a grand coalition would require more talks," said senior union adviser Bronislaw Geremek. He said no proposal had been forwarded so far.

Despite Solidarity's win, the Communists are still expected to retain control of Parliament because election rules guarantee it a majority of seats.

But the union said Solidarity won almost all the seats it was allowed to compete for, indicating the opposition may have veto power in the two-chamber legislature.

The Communist Party's immediate concern seemed to be in maintaining public calm.

"If feelings of triumph and adventurism cause anarchy in Poland, democracy and social peace will be seriously threatened. Authorities, the coalition and the opposition cannot allow such a situation," Bisztyga said.

Solidarity leader Lech Walesa said earlier yesterday in Gdansk that "it's too early for congratulations and we don't have complete information yet."

But the official PAP news agency last night confirmed overwhelming Solidarity victories in at least 11 cities.