By Wiktor Szary and Agnieszka Barteczko
WARSAW (Reuters) - Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski conceded defeat to conservative challenger Andrzej Duda in Sunday's presidential election, a result reflecting voters' frustration that Poland's new-found prosperity was not being more evenly shared.
The result will send a stark message to the government of Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz, an ally of Komorowski who faces a tight re-election battle against the conservative opposition later this year.
Komorowski, who had originally been seen as a shoo-in for another term in office, announced he was conceding defeat after an exit poll showed he had won 47 percent to 53 percent for Duda. Official results have not yet been released.
"I respect your choice," Komorowski told a gathering of supporters. "I wish my challenger a successful presidency."
The victory for 43-year-old Duda marks the first major electoral win in almost a decade for the opposition Law and Justice party, which nominated him.
In Poland, the prime minister leads the government but the president is head of the armed forces, has a say in foreign policy and in the passage of legislation, and also controls who heads the central bank.
Duda served as legal adviser to former conservative President Lech Kaczynski, was a deputy justice minister, a member of the Polish parliament, and is now a member of the European parliament.
His victory throws down the conservative gauntlet to the governing center-right Civic Platform party.
Eight years in power, the party has presided over rapid economic growth and rising salaries in eastern Europe's biggest economy.
But despite unprecedented prosperity, many Poles feel the fruits of their labor have been unfairly spread, resulting in increased inequality, and are eager for new faces at the top.
"Economic growth? For the average citizen it is hardly perceptible," said Zbigniew Pela, 53, a railway worker who was voting for Duda on Sunday. "They create good living conditions for some social groups, who have their businesses, and not for ordinary citizens."