A new ranking of Poland’s presidents reveals that ex-communist Aleksander Kwasniewski is the most popular head of state to have ever held the post.

The survey, which was undertaken by pollsters SMG/KRC, places Kwasniewski (pictured right) first with over 54 percent of respondents claiming that he best filled the position.

Lech Kaczynski, who died in the Smolensk catastrophe with 95 others in April last year, came second in the poll with 23 percent.

Lech Walesa, leader of the Solidarity movement and a Nobel laureate, gained 8 percent in the poll to come third, while incumbent Bronislaw Komorowski came fourth with 5 percent.

General Wojciech Jaruzelski, who became Poland’s first president as a result of the Round Table talks in 1989, was awarded with 3 percent of the responses in the survey.

Seven percent of respondents could not give an answer. The survey was undertaken on 19-20 April on a representative group of 1,004 adult Poles. (jb)

Source: PAP