> 30% of the population votes for X, 30% for Y and 40% for Z.

> Now, even if followers of X and Y hate Z more than each other, the winner is still Z.

In this situation, Z would not win a runoff election though. In 2020 The PiS candidate won the presidential election[1]. I think saying that most Poles prefer the current government is imprecise but still truthful, therefore.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Polish_presidential_elect...

Not in a parliamentary system like they have in the Netherlands.

Poland also has proportional representation. A 40% party will need to coalition with other parties if it wants to have enough votes to rule.

Except votes for parties who get less than 5% (if running alone) or 8% of votes (if a Coalition) do not count. So that 40% becomes 52% and suddenly the only thing you can do as a minority party is yell.

Rules like that aren't uncommon.

Netherlands is like the one exception that doesn't require parties to win >4-5% of the vote to get into parliament.

And all of these systems are more democratic than what the USA uses.