Lech Kaczynski (l) and Donald Tusk

Voter surveys in Poland show centrist lawmaker Donald Tusk with a lead over conservative Warsaw Mayor Lech Kaczynski heading into Sunday's presidential election.

Mr. Tusk with 40 percent support holds about a five percentage point lead over Mr. Kaczynski in recent surveys. Such an outcome would require an October 23 runoff between the two men as both are far short of the 50 percent of the vote needed to win outright among a dozen candidates.

Mr. Tusk's Civic Platform party and Mr. Kaczynski's Law and Justice party are currently in talks to form a coalition government after the parties were the leading vote-getters in parliamentary elections last month.

The candidates are vying to replace outgoing President Aleksander Kwasniewski who is barred by law from seeking a third term in office.