Poland faces pivotal election as rival camps vie for control
Polish voters head to the polls on Sunday in a parliamentary election that will determine the country's democratic future and its position within the European Union, Reuters and News.ro reported.
The ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS), led by Jaroslaw Kaczynski, is seeking a third term in office. On the other side of the political spectrum stands the Civic Platform (KO), led by Donald Tusk.
Both sides have framed the election's outcome as an existential stake for the nation, with each depicting the other as the ultimate enemy of the Polish people's welfare.
The nationalist PiS has repeatedly clashed with the EU due to legislative changes that critics argue have politicised the judicial system and turned state media into a propaganda organ.
The opposition contends that this vote could be the last chance to prevent Poland's drift away from the European mainstream toward a semi-authoritarian system.
"They are systematically, with cold blood, planning to take Poland out of the European Union," stated Tusk. PiS denies such a plan.
Amid a raging war in neighbouring Ukraine and the looming migrant crisis, national security and immigration have played a significant role in a campaign that has also seen worsening relations with Kyiv due to Poland's ban on Ukrainian cereal imports.
Opinion polls suggest that PiS will remain the largest party in parliament, but may fall short of a majority.
An inconclusive result could lead to legislative paralysis in a NATO member state on the frontlines of the alliance's efforts to aid Ukraine.
A PiS administration reliant on the votes of the far-right Confederation party, which has sought to capitalise on rising anti-Ukrainian sentiment among some voters, may be less inclined to support Kyiv, analysts argue.
The key to the final election outcome lies in the fate of the centre-right Third Way coalition.
Coalitions need at least 8% of the votes to enter parliament, and some polls have shown the Third Way coalition hovering perilously close to this threshold. If it fails to make it into parliament, the opposition's hopes of forming a government would be dashed.
However, the Third Way coalition remains confident it will secure the necessary votes, with one of its leaders, Szymon Holownia, stating that he has "no fear at all."
Translation by Iurie Tataru
