the Election of the President of Poland, in accordance with the Constitution, scheduled for may 10. Thus, according to on may 4, the country has almost 14 thousand infected COVID-19, 683 of them died. In Poland from March 20 the mode of the epidemic. In this regard, in early April health Minister Lucas Shumovsky said to send 30 million voters in the precinct at this moment is a huge risk. The question arose of how to choose the President in a pandemic coronavirus. And the choice fell on the vote by mail.
Experts believe that the government could impose a state of emergency, and this would postpone the vote for a month, and with the support of the Parliament for three months. However, the ruling Polish party “law and Justice” is not interested in procrastination, because in the current crisis, the current head of state Andrzej Duda has a good chance to win in the first round. According to the latest survey of the center for Ipsos, quoted by the independent journalism portal OKO.press, in early may, the President is ready to give their votes to 63%.
For comparison: at the end of February for Andrzej Duda had intended to vote for 41 percent of the electorate, and this means that it would be a fight in the second round with one of the five contenders with the highest number of votes. The increase in the electorate of the pipe 22 percent in such a short time, mostly in isolation, was the result primarily of the fact that the opposition presidential candidates were not able to conduct a normal election campaign. But the current head of state in a moment of crisis constantly appeared on television, acting as “father of the nation” and earning the doubting voices.
after reviewing all the options, the government realized that voting by mail is the only possible, but did not take into account the fact that Poland has its own peculiarities – both political and organizational points of view. April 6, controlled by the ruling party’s lower house of Parliament – the Seimas approved the amendments to the electoral code that allow you to change the form of holding elections in a situation of an epidemic. In order for these amendments entered into force, and could start preparing for elections, it was necessary to obtain the approval of the upper house – the Senate and signed by the President.
But if in getting the autograph of Andrzej Duda no doubts, with the senators is much more complicated. The fact that the Senate – unlike the Parliament – most of the opposition, which calls to boycott the elections. In its interests to do so, to the victorious incumbent may 10 elections did not take place, therefore the upper house delays consideration of amendments, and, as expected, did not render a decision until may 6, when it will expire put on the law a month. In this ��case are the authorities on preparation for elections will be only three days.
it is Clear that in such a short time to perform all the required formalities, for example, to form an electoral Commission to compile lists of voters to print ballot papers and deliver them to the addresses impossible. Therefore, despite the fact that the amendments to the electoral code have not yet been adopted, preparations for elections by mail, in violation of the law, is in full swing. The network has already “leaked” samples of ballot papers. If the President approves the initiative, 25 thousand Polish postmen will have a risk to the health post at 90-100 envelopes a day, as “non-contact” sign for the Bulletin possible. The legal issues is everything.
for Example, to keep the secrecy of the voting in a small apartment in the city, which is home to a few people? How to give the opportunity to vote to the poles living abroad? How to install an exact place of residence of those who is not at the place of registration? What about those who are shut in or in hospital with coronavirus? But the most important question: what would happen if the Senate does not approve the amendments, allowing to hold elections by mail, and in the diet does not reach the necessary qualified majority of votes, allowing one to “push” innovation.
Despite the fact that the powers of the President Andrzej Duda expire in August, simple way to solve the problem does not exist, because elections are officially scheduled for the 10th of may, and to change the date only for reasons of extraordinary nature. Declaring a state of emergency today when the country has started to gradually remove restrictions caused by the epidemic, it would be illogical. And in the ruling party, according to the authoritative portal Onet.pl referring to several sources, to consider only one option: the resignation of President Andrzej Duda. This will allow to postpone the election in July, and the dude can run. But this is the most extreme measure, to resort to which the government will be solved only if all other options of development of events would be impossible.
