Plane crash complicates Polish presidential race
Saturday, 24 April 2010
Polish Parliament Speaker and Acting President Bronislaw Komorowski announced Wednesday that the date for the country's presidential elections has been set for June 20.
The elections were called after Poland's President Lech Kaczynski was killed in a plane crash in Russia along with 95 other senior Polish officials on April 10.
Due to the unusual timing and circumstances, the presidential race could be more complicated than previous ones, analysts said.
While the sudden death of Kaczynski was heartbreaking for many in Poland, the most important thing for the Polish people in the aftermath of the tragedy is to choose his successor. Commentators said Polish voters are anxiously looking for a new leader with the ability to reinvigorate and rally the nation.
The plane crash is definitely no ordinary civil aviation accident, since nearly all the victims are pillars of the state, the social elite, the political parties' most effective vote-getters.
For some political parties, the loss is unprecedented and has far-reaching influence.
Two presidential candidates were in the Polish delegation who were killed when their Tu-154 airliner crashed in western Russia on April 10: Kaczynski, the country's president and the standard-bearer for the Law and Justice party, and Jerzy Szmajdzinski of the Democratic Left Alliance.
Members of the Law and Justice Party now almost unanimously favor Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the president's twin brother and a former prime minister.
But perhaps because the tragic crash was too hard for him to bear, Jaroslaw hasn't decided whether to join the race in spite of strong support within the party.
Likewise, the Democratic Left Alliance faces no easy task in picking its own candidate.
After the party's original candidate was killed in the plane crash, people are wondering whether it can pick a new candidate with the same level of social prestige who is acceptable to all the factions within the party in such a short time.
Analysts said for any Polish political party to prevail in the upcoming elections, the key is to work out a policy agenda that appeals to voters.
Currently, aside from the Democratic Left Alliance which has publicly acknowledged its leftist positions, both the Civic Platform and Law and Justice parties are known as the "Solidarity factions" because they were formed after the split of the former Solidarity trade union, and therefore hold similar policy positions.
The Civic Platform party advocates an ideology combining liberal, conservative and Christian democratic beliefs. Its policy platform includes development of education and economy, the fight against corruption, depoliticizing the country and structural transformation of rural areas.
It prefers to highlight the "reality of national interests" in its relations with the United States, giving up suspicions and strengthening ties with the European Union, and improving the country's relationship with Russia and Germany. The party said its foreign policy is based on dialogue and cooperation, a flexible and pragmatic attitude and a win-win strategy.
On social and political issues, the Law and Justice party supports public disclosure of politicians' assets, establishment of anti-corruption agencies, faster crime reduction, harsh punishments of criminals including temporary restoration of the death penalty, and family-friendly policies.
In foreign policy, it maintains a pro-Europe, pro-U.S. and good-neighborliness stance, while at the same time vigorously pursuing an all-round diplomacy to safeguard national interests in foreign relations.
The Democratic Left Alliance's agenda includes the promotion of just, equitable, sustainable and balanced development of the country, the separation of powers and forming of a multi-party system, as well as the establishment of a social market economy that combines market economy and state intervention, as both economically efficient and socially just.
Opinion polls conducted before and after the crash repeatedly showed that Parliament Speaker and Acting President Komorowski, the Civic Platform party's presidential candidate, is leading the race.
Nevertheless, it is widely believed in Poland that the Law and Justice party's potential candidate Jaroslaw Kaczynski could emerge as a strong competitor of Komorowski and that a race between the two could be very intense.
Some commentators said that election results will be affected by the plane crash, and that is why this presidential race is full of suspense.
First, the crash grabbed much of the voters' attention. Observers believe the so-called "crash complex" might eventually drive some voters towards the party that was hit hardest by the accident, while the way that the politicians deal with the aftermath of the crash and investigations of its cause will also influence voters' choices to a certain extent.
Second, the crash could cause voters to develop a new understanding of the political parties. Voters will see whether the parties put national interests or their party's interests first in dealing with the aftermath of the crash. That may become a factor which voters take into account.
Finally, the crash brought some changes to Poland's relations with Russia, and the "Russian factor" will become an eye-catching element of the race.
Historically, the Poland-Russia relationship has been complicated. Poland's future relations with its giant neighbor to the east have become one of the hotly-debated topics for Poles after the crash.
For Polish presidential candidates, how to articulate an appropriate policy towards Russia and how to address sensitive issues in the relations with Russia could be important factors that affect their chances in the race, analysts said. --Xinhua
The elections were called after Poland's President Lech Kaczynski was killed in a plane crash in Russia along with 95 other senior Polish officials on April 10.
Due to the unusual timing and circumstances, the presidential race could be more complicated than previous ones, analysts said.
While the sudden death of Kaczynski was heartbreaking for many in Poland, the most important thing for the Polish people in the aftermath of the tragedy is to choose his successor. Commentators said Polish voters are anxiously looking for a new leader with the ability to reinvigorate and rally the nation.
The plane crash is definitely no ordinary civil aviation accident, since nearly all the victims are pillars of the state, the social elite, the political parties' most effective vote-getters.
For some political parties, the loss is unprecedented and has far-reaching influence.
Two presidential candidates were in the Polish delegation who were killed when their Tu-154 airliner crashed in western Russia on April 10: Kaczynski, the country's president and the standard-bearer for the Law and Justice party, and Jerzy Szmajdzinski of the Democratic Left Alliance.
Members of the Law and Justice Party now almost unanimously favor Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the president's twin brother and a former prime minister.
But perhaps because the tragic crash was too hard for him to bear, Jaroslaw hasn't decided whether to join the race in spite of strong support within the party.
Likewise, the Democratic Left Alliance faces no easy task in picking its own candidate.
After the party's original candidate was killed in the plane crash, people are wondering whether it can pick a new candidate with the same level of social prestige who is acceptable to all the factions within the party in such a short time.
Analysts said for any Polish political party to prevail in the upcoming elections, the key is to work out a policy agenda that appeals to voters.
Currently, aside from the Democratic Left Alliance which has publicly acknowledged its leftist positions, both the Civic Platform and Law and Justice parties are known as the "Solidarity factions" because they were formed after the split of the former Solidarity trade union, and therefore hold similar policy positions.
The Civic Platform party advocates an ideology combining liberal, conservative and Christian democratic beliefs. Its policy platform includes development of education and economy, the fight against corruption, depoliticizing the country and structural transformation of rural areas.
It prefers to highlight the "reality of national interests" in its relations with the United States, giving up suspicions and strengthening ties with the European Union, and improving the country's relationship with Russia and Germany. The party said its foreign policy is based on dialogue and cooperation, a flexible and pragmatic attitude and a win-win strategy.
On social and political issues, the Law and Justice party supports public disclosure of politicians' assets, establishment of anti-corruption agencies, faster crime reduction, harsh punishments of criminals including temporary restoration of the death penalty, and family-friendly policies.
In foreign policy, it maintains a pro-Europe, pro-U.S. and good-neighborliness stance, while at the same time vigorously pursuing an all-round diplomacy to safeguard national interests in foreign relations.
The Democratic Left Alliance's agenda includes the promotion of just, equitable, sustainable and balanced development of the country, the separation of powers and forming of a multi-party system, as well as the establishment of a social market economy that combines market economy and state intervention, as both economically efficient and socially just.
Opinion polls conducted before and after the crash repeatedly showed that Parliament Speaker and Acting President Komorowski, the Civic Platform party's presidential candidate, is leading the race.
Nevertheless, it is widely believed in Poland that the Law and Justice party's potential candidate Jaroslaw Kaczynski could emerge as a strong competitor of Komorowski and that a race between the two could be very intense.
Some commentators said that election results will be affected by the plane crash, and that is why this presidential race is full of suspense.
First, the crash grabbed much of the voters' attention. Observers believe the so-called "crash complex" might eventually drive some voters towards the party that was hit hardest by the accident, while the way that the politicians deal with the aftermath of the crash and investigations of its cause will also influence voters' choices to a certain extent.
Second, the crash could cause voters to develop a new understanding of the political parties. Voters will see whether the parties put national interests or their party's interests first in dealing with the aftermath of the crash. That may become a factor which voters take into account.
Finally, the crash brought some changes to Poland's relations with Russia, and the "Russian factor" will become an eye-catching element of the race.
Historically, the Poland-Russia relationship has been complicated. Poland's future relations with its giant neighbor to the east have become one of the hotly-debated topics for Poles after the crash.
For Polish presidential candidates, how to articulate an appropriate policy towards Russia and how to address sensitive issues in the relations with Russia could be important factors that affect their chances in the race, analysts said. --Xinhua