August 20, 2007

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Poland's main opposition party is the top-rated political organization in the European country, according to a poll by TNS OBOP published in Dziennika. 32 per cent of respondents would support the Civic Platform (PO) in the next legislative ballot.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Poland's main opposition party is the top-rated political organization in the European country, according to a poll by TNS OBOP published in Dziennika. 32 per cent of respondents would support the Civic Platform (PO) in the next legislative ballot.

The governing Law and Justice Party (PiS) is second with 24 per cent, followed by the Left and Democracy (LiD) coalition with 10 per cent, the Self-Defence of the Polish Republic (SRP) with five per cent, the League of Polish Families (LPR) with three per cent, and the Peasant's Party (PSL) also with three per cent.

In September 2005, voters in Poland renewed their legislative branch. Final results gave the PiS 26.9 per cent of the vote and 155 lawmakers in the 460-seat lower house. In October, economic expert Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz took over as prime minister and Lech Kaczynski won the presidential election. The coalition government includes the PiS, the Self-Defence of the Polish Republic (SRP) and the League of Polish Families (LPR).

In July 2006, deputy prime minister and SRP leader Andrzej Lepper announced that Marcinkiewicz would resign after he made some decisions without consulting his coalition partners. Polish president Lech Kaczynski appointed PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski—his twin brother—as the country's new prime minister.

On Jul. 9, Polish president Lech Kaczynski dismissed Lepper—who also served as agricultural minister—after a government agency accused him of being involved in a bribery scandal. On Aug. 13, the president discharged the four cabinet ministers who are not members of the PiS. An early election is expected to take place this year.

When asked who they would like to see as prime minister, 23 per cent of respondents pick Marcinkiewicz. Former Polish president and Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) member Aleksander Kwasniewski is second with 12 per cent, followed by PO leader Donald Tusk with 10 per cent, and current head of government Jaroslaw Kaczynski with five per cent.

On Aug. 15, Belarus refused entry to a group of Polish parliamentarians—including Tusk—who were expected to participate in the Polish Army Day celebrations. Belarusian government spokeswoman Maria Vanyshina explained the rationale, saying, "Every country has a list of persons it does not want to admit, and Belarus is no exception. There was the possibility their visit would inflame ethnic tensions, and so we refused them entry."

Polling Data

What party would you support in the next election?

Civic Platform (PO)	32%
Law and Justice Party (PiS)	24%
Left and Democracy (LiD) Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) Social Democracy of Poland (SDP) Democratic Party of Poland (PD) Labour Union (UP)	10%
Self-Defence of the Polish Republic (SRP)	5%
League of Polish Families (LPR)	3%
Peasant's Party (PSL)	3%

Who would you like to see as prime minister?

Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz	23%
Aleksander Kwasniewski	12%
Donald Tusk	10%
Jaroslaw Kaczynski	5%
Marek Borowski	4%
Bronislaw Komorowski	4%
Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz	4%
Jan Rokita	4%

Source: TNS OBOP / Dziennika
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 Polish adults, conducted on Aug. 14, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.