The leader of the ruling conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, Jarosław Kaczyński, appeared at a rally in the southern city of Kraków, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
Kaczyński said that Law and Justice and its coalition partners, jointly referred to as the United Right, “seek to ensure security, and we’ve done a lot for Poland’s security in the past eight years.”
He told supporters that the government was “strengthening the Polish army to boost external security” as well as “strengthening state agencies responsible for internal security,” the PAP news agency reported.
Kaczyński, who serves as deputy prime minister, added the government had also “strengthened Poland when it comes to energy security,” as well as “strengthening our alliance with the United States.”
He noted that, in addition to threats posed by the war in Ukraine, "there is a new threat posed by the Israel-Palestine conflict.”
Meanwhile, Donald Tusk, the leader of the main opposition grouping, the centrist Civic Coalition (KO), told voters in the northeastern city of Ełk that the ruling United Right was failing to ensure national security, as well as engaging in corruption, the PAP news agency reported.
Tusk, a former prime minister and European Council president, said: “One of our main missions for October 15 is to unseat those who are lying to the Polish people about security issues, who are lying to the Polish people about every other issue … and who are robbing Poland, our homeland, and Polish families in broad daylight.”
The New Left on Wednesday outlined its policy proposals for senior citizens at a conference in the southeastern city of Rzeszów, the PAP news agency reported.
The group’s MP Adrian Zandberg said that under a left-wing government, pensions would be uprated twice a year to give seniors “social security and a good life.”
Fellow MP Anna Żukowska added that the New Left grouping was also offering policy ideas for young people in a bid to foster intergenerational solidarity.
Meanwhile, the leaders of the Third Way, Szymon Hołownia and Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, met with voters in the northeastern city of Białystok, the PAP news agency reported.
Hołownia said: “According to all the data we have, and all the intuitions we have, a victory for the opposition is more likely than a victory for Law and Justice.”
Kosiniak-Kamysz said the opposition had to seek a clear victory and urged everyone to "persuade others to vote or help them reach polling stations on Sunday."
Sławomir Mentzen, one of the leaders of the far-right Confederation grouping, on Wednesday ruled out a coalition government with Law and Justice, as well with the Civic Coalition, adding that the Confederation could nonetheless secure the implementation of some of its policy proposals, the wnp.pl website reported.
In an interview with private broadcaster TVN24, Mentzen also said that Civic Coalition leader Donald Tusk had “copied” some of the Confederation’s policy pledges, such as increasing non-taxable income and abolishing certain taxes.
Aleksandra Sopuch from the Non-Partisan Local Government Activists grouping on Wednesday told the Rzeczpospolita newspaper that her grouping represented "the new generation," and was gaining public support thanks to “fresh and sensible” policy proposals.
She added that these policy ideas had already been implemented at the local level and reflected “issues faced by the Polish people.”
Poland to elect new parliament on October 15
Poles will head to the ballot box to vote in parliamentary elections on Sunday. They will elect 460 MPs and 100 senators for a four-year term.
Seeking a third term in power, the governing conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party appears to be running ahead of an opposition divided into separate blocs.
Poles to vote in referendum on October 15
In August, Poland's lawmakers approved a plan to combine parliamentary elections with a nationwide referendum asking Poles whether their country should accept migrants from the Middle East and Africa, whether state companies can be sold to foreign buyers, whether the retirement age should be increased, and whether a wall on Poland's border with Belarus should be dismantled.
The ruling conservatives have encouraged people to cast their ballots in the referendum, while the opposition has asked voters to boycott it, saying the referendum questions are worded in a biased way and contain misleading information designed to boost support for the government.
(pm/gs)
Source: PAP, wnp.pl, rp.pl