An exit poll shows Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and his conservative Civic Platform Party holding on to power after Sunday's parliamentary election.

The survey gives Civic Platform candidates close to 40 percent of the vote, while the main opposition Law and Justice Party, which also is conservative, has 30 percent.

A newly founded liberal party, Palikot's Movement, finished in a surprisingly strong third place.

Final results are not likely to give the Civic Platform party a majority in parliament, meaning that Mr. Tusk would have to seek out a coalition, similar to the one forged with the Peasants' Party in 2007.

It also would be the first time a Polish party has held on to power in a general election since the fall of communism in 1989.

Poland is the only member of the 27-member European Union to emerge from the global recession of 2008 with positive economic growth.

Official results from Sunday's election are expected by early Monday.