Poland will proceed with presidential elections amid slow economic reopening
Photo: Wojtek Radwanski/AFP via Getty Images
According to the US Embassy in Warsaw, Poland will slowly begin to unfreeze its economy starting today.
The Polish government has also decided to proceed with the presidential election scheduled for May 10, sparking a new debate between the governing Law and Justice (PiS) Party and the opposition on how to properly hold the vote. PiS has argued that the election should continue as planned to respect the democratic process.
After government officials proposed holding elections exclusively by post, opposition politicians—supported by human rights officials, international organisations, and European Union Commissioner Vera Jourova—argued that a vote-by-mail election runs the risk of not being free or fair. They worry that the government will not be able to adequately publicise voting procedures before election day.
A postal vote could boost the re-election hopes of incumbent President Andrzej Duda, who, unlike other candidates, benefits from regular opportunities to address the public on television. According to recent polls, Duda may gain enough votes to win the election without a second round on May 24. His victory would ensure a PiS-controlled government that will likely continue to grant the executive branch influence over the judiciary and continue to marginalise Poland within the EU.
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