WARSAW: With the October 15 general election on the horizon, a significant portion of Poland’s opposition parties announced on Thursday their strategic union for a crucial aspect of the electoral battle. In a move aimed at maximizing their impact, these parties have forged an alliance to contest seats in the upper house of parliament, the senate. The decision comes as opinion polls project a closely contested election, signaling a potentially tight race.
While the various opposition parties were not able to achieve a consensus for a unified approach in the lower house, they have successfully aligned their strategies for the senate contest. The intention behind this alliance is to present a united front and pool their resources to secure electoral victories in this crucial arena.
“We will do everything to win,” affirmed Wlodzimierz Czarzasty, co-leader of the New Left party, during a press conference alongside representatives from other participating political groups. In a strategic maneuver, the opposition coalition plans to field a single candidate in each district, backed collectively by the participating parties.
Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz of the centrist-right Third Way alliance further emphasized the unity of purpose, expressing that the alliance’s objective is to rally behind a singular candidate per district, supported by the entire coalition.
Pakt senacki demokratycznej opozycji dopięty! 🤍♥️ #PolskaWNaszychSercach #paktsenacki pic.twitter.com/eDg5Q2n0m5
— Monika WIELICHOWSKA (@MWielichowska) August 17, 2023
Poland’s Opposition Alliance Include Prominent Leaders
This opposition alliance includes the centrist Civic Coalition, which features prominent figures such as Donald Tusk, a former prime minister and former European Council president. Notably, the far-right opposition party Confederation has chosen to pursue its electoral ambitions independently.
The opposition’s combined efforts are geared towards securing approximately 65 out of the 100 available seats in the senate. The opposition currently holds a narrow majority in this chamber.
In contrast, the governing right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party, which has held power since 2015, currently maintains control over the lower house, consisting of 460 seats.
Opinion polls on the upcoming general election suggest that the PiS party is projected to garner approximately 33 percent of the total vote. The Civic Coalition is anticipated to secure 29 percent of the vote, while the Third Way aims for 9.5 percent, and the left-leaning parties are poised to capture nearly 9 percent. Meanwhile, the Confederation party is forecasted to receive 12 percent of the votes.
