Poland election: Voters get ready as rivals wrap off intense camp

• Voters get ready as rivals wrap off intense camp during Poland election.
• The opposition would weaken Poland with mass migration and chaos.
• The election has been marked by highly personalized campaigns.

Poland is heading towards a significant parliamentary election this weekend, marked by a contentious campaign where both sides have portrayed the other as a dire national threat.

The ruling right-wing Law and Justice party (PiS) is striving to secure a record third term in office. They argue that the opposition would weaken Poland with mass migration and chaos.

The main opposition Civic Coalition, a centrist group, aims to end PiS’s eight-year rule, asserting that the party poses a threat to Polish democracy itself.

The election has been marked by highly personalized campaigns, with both parties vilifying each other’s leaders. Opinion polls indicate that neither of the main parties is poised for an outright majority, intensifying the last-minute campaigning efforts.

Election candidates’ images adorn lamp-posts and railings throughout Poland. Voters have a diverse range of choices, from the far-right Confederation, which advocates cutting aid to Ukraine, to left-wing parties addressing issues such as LGBT rights and abortion.

However, the election primarily centers on two men and two parties: Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the leader of PiS, and Donald Tusk, the head of Civic Coalition. They delivered their final appeals to voters on Friday.

Kaczynski reiterated his assertion in Starachowice, south of Warsaw, that a Poland governed by Tusk would be controlled “by a phone call from Berlin or Moscow.”

He has consistently portrayed his rival as a puppet of both Russia and Germany, aiming to question Tusk’s patriotism and security credentials.

Kaczynski pointed to his party’s significant boost in military spending, highlighting the proximity of Russia and Ukraine to Poland.

Fear-mongering about migration has been another of PiS’s tactics, including extensive coverage on state TV of protests and riots in Europe. Kaczynski made it clear that PiS would “absolutely reject” an EU relocation plan for illegal migrants.

He also offered a positive message, emphasizing that PiS had provided higher wages and pensions and highlighting the election as a choice for a better life. Donald Tusk, on the other hand, contends that continuing with PiS would be disastrous for Poland.

Despite the country receiving acclaim for its support of Ukraine since the Russian invasion, there are concerns about its commitment to defending essential democratic institutions at home. The EU has withheld substantial funding due to concerns over the politicization of Poland’s courts.

Civic Coalition emphasizes these issues, along with increased control of the press and heightened tension with Europe, all of which they fear will intensify if PiS is re-elected. Some fear that this trajectory may threaten Poland’s EU membership itself.

Donald Tusk remained focused on winning in his final campaign speech, declaring that victory was within reach and urging supporters to monitor the election for fraud, especially abroad, where a record number of Poles, over 600,000, have registered to vote. In the past, expats have generally favored the opposition.

The government has called for a national referendum to be held concurrently with the parliamentary election, featuring questions seemingly designed to encourage PiS supporters to turn out to vote.

The possibility exists that neither PiS nor Civic Coalition will secure enough seats to govern independently. PiS might seek to govern as a minority or form a coalition with the far-right Confederation party in such a scenario.

However, the prospect of a party with a history of racism and homophobia wielding significant power is concerning to some. If this combination proves unviable, it might open the door to an opposition coalition.

“A vote cast in these elections is not only an expression of our beliefs and values, but it also determines the direction in which Poland should develop,” emphasized PiS-backed President Andrzej Duda during the last day of campaigning.

Opposition supporters concur that the election is crucial and express their determination to prevent authoritarianism.

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