Poland to hold presidential election on June 28 amid political turmoil

Poland set June 28 on Wednesday as a new date for a presidential election that was canceled last month amid the coronavirus pandemic. Planning for the election had plunged the country into political turmoil after the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party abruptly called it off four days before the original May 10 date.

“I would like it very much if we could finally pick the head of state. It’s a matter of… Polish statehood,” Elzbieta Witek, the speaker of the lower house of parliament, said announcing the new schedule.

For PiS, which has a fragile majority in parliament, the election is vital to cementing its grip on power. The incumbent Andrzej Duda, a PiS ally, is the frontrunner, although his lead has shrunk in recent days amid signs of economic contraction due to the coronavirus outbreak, Reuters said.

Centrist Warsaw mayor Rafal Trzaskowski and an independent candidate, TV show host Szymon Holownia, are running behind Duda in polls.