Presidential frontrunner keeps lead but loses overall in homestretch
Poland’s ruling coalition candidate is in the lead ahead of an imminent presidential vote, the latest poll showed on Sunday.
Presidential candidates Rafał Trzaskowski (L) and Karol Nawrocki.Photo: Tytus Żmijewski/Szymon Łabiński/PAP
With support of 30%, Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski of the pro-EU Civic Coalition (KO) leads the presidential race as it hits the homestretch, according to a new survey by Opinia24 for the Newsweek weekly.
“This is one of the weakest results for Trzaskowski in this campaign”, the newspaper commented.
“Falling below 30 percent would mark a significant psychological setback for the Warsaw mayor’s campaign,” the editorial observed.
His main contender is Karol Nawrocki, a 42-year-old fan of US President Donald Trump, who has the backing of the main right-wing opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party and outgoing President Andrzej Duda.
Nawrocki gathers 25% support in the latest poll. This was highlighted by Newsweek as a sign that he “still doesn’t have the full backing of PiS voters”, which stands roughly at 30 percent.
However, the poll was conducted before the peak of the so-called „housing scandal„, which Nawrocki is embroiled in, making it difficult to determine whether the controversy has had any impact on his score.
Nawrocki is followed by the far-right Confederation party candidate Slawomir Mentzen, with 13%.
Scheduled for May 18, the vote is likely to be decided between these three candidates, with the rest receiving single-digit support.
Those include Parliament Speaker Szymon Hołownia from the centrist Third Way party and leftist candidates Magdalena Biejat and Adrian Zandberg.
If none of the candidates crosses the 50% threshold in the first round, a second vote will be held on June 1 between the two top candidates.
(mo)
Source: PAP
