Poland's voters reject their right-wing government, but many challenges lie ahead
Poland’s voters delivered a clear verdict
WARSAW, Poland — Poland's voters delivered a clear verdict. After eight years of rule by a right-wing government, they have had enough. While the conservative ruling Law and Justice party won more votes than any other single party in a parliamentary election on Sunday, it lost its majority and will not hold enough seats to govern the country.
Three opposition groups who waged an energetic campaign on promises to help restore national unity, rule of law and cooperative ties with the European Union and other allies, are poised to get their turn to steer the Central European nation of 38 million people. But the path ahead will be demanding. Here are five challenges facing the country in its transition.
THE TRANSITION OF POWER
Some Poles have voiced concerns that the ruling party, like former President Donald Trump in the United States and supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil, might resist the verdict of the voters.
Some anxiety was triggered by words uttered Sunday night by party leader Jarosław Kaczyński, after an exit poll showed the victory of opposition parties. He warned that “days of struggle and all kinds of tensions” were ahead.
A party lawmaker, Radosław Fogiel, said Kaczyński was referring to tensions that he expected to emerge among the opposition parties, and that Law and Justice intends to respect the constitutional process and hand over power but would first try to build its own majority.
Fogiel told reporters at an event in Warsaw on Tuesday evening that he expects that a new government could be formed in mid December.
THE PRESIDENT
The actions of President Andrzej Duda, an ally of Law and Justice, will be paramount because it's his duty as
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