Online
\nWARSAW
\nPoles vote on Sunday in a knife-edge presidential election that may shape the country\u2019s future relations with the European Union, already frayed by the bloc\u2019s concerns over the rule of law.
\nIncumbent Andrzej Duda, an ally of the ruling nationalists Law and Justice (PiS), takes on liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski after a campaign that has shown sharply contrasting visions for the future and exposed deep political divisions.
\nDuda\u2019s re-election is crucial if PiS is to deepen judicial reforms that the EU says increase political control over the courts.
\nThe president holds the power of veto and Trzaskowski has said he will block legislation that he believes would undermine democratic norms.
\nGiven that Poland\u2019s president holds few executive powers, it is unlikely Trzaskowski could bring about significant change if he won. But if the presidency as well as the upper house of parliament were in opposition hands, PiS\u2019s ability to implement its agenda would be hampered.
\nThe election is a runoff after a first round on June 28. Polling stations opened at 05:00 GMT and close at 19:00 GMT, at which point the results of an exit poll will be announced.
\nDuda has painted himself as a defender of Poland\u2019s Catholic values and the generous social benefit programmes that have transformed life for many, especially in the poorer rural regions of the EU\u2019s largest post-communist member.
\n\u201cI believe we can build the Poland we dream of; a fair Poland, a rich Poland, a strong Poland… a Poland that can protect the weak and doesn\u2019t have to fear the strong,\u201d Duda told supporters on Friday, asking them to compare their standard of living now with what it was before he took office.
\nHowever, while Duda vows to stand on the side of the weak, critics say his campaign has also drawn on homophobia and anti-Semitism.
\nHe has compared what he calls LGBT \u201cideology\u201d to Soviet-era communist indoctrination, while state television has used the sensitive issue of Jewish property restitution to attack Trzaskowski.
\n\u201cThere are very energetic attempts, and at the centre of these attempts is Mr Trzaskowski, to see to it that in Poland different kinds of minorities can… terrorise the rest,\u201d said Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the leader of PiS and Poland\u2019s de-facto ruler.
\nTrzaskowski became a target for religious conservatives, who attacked him for promoting gay rights after he took part in pride marches and pledged to introduce sex education classes in Warsaw schools.
\nTrzaskowski says he seeks a more open, tolerant Poland and has criticised PiS\u2019s rhetoric, while vowing to abolish state news channel TVP Info.
\n\u201cHave you ever heard such homophobia, such anti-Semitism, such attacks on everybody who is brave enough to say \u2018we have had enough\u2019,\u201d he asked supporters on Friday, contrasting PiS\u2019s use of language with that of opposition politicians.
\nBut while vowing to block PiS\u2019s judicial reforms and condemning attacks on minorities, Trzaskowski has stressed that he would leave PiS\u2019s popular social benefit programmes intact and not seek to raise the retirement age.
\nTrzaskowski has tried to portray himself as someone who can unite a divided nation, but many observers say a period of bitter conflict between the PiS-dominated parliament and the presidential palace awaits if he wins.
\nFor Adam Schulz, a 36-year-old office worker enjoying an ice-cream in the central Warsaw sunshine, it is this deep division that could drive Sunday\u2019s turnout to record levels.
\n\u201cAs the years go by, polarisation on the political scene means that more and more people want to express their opinions… that is why I think there is more interest,\u201d he said. \u201cThere is no conversation between these sides.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Online WARSAW Poles vote on Sunday in a knife-edge presidential election that may shape the country\u2019s future relations with the European Union, already frayed by the bloc\u2019s concerns over the rule of law. Incumbent Andrzej Duda, an ally of the ruling nationalists Law and Justice (PiS), takes on liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski after a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":132022,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-132012","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n