After a meeting of the governing council of the Democratic Left Alliance, Thursday evening, it was announced that party leader, Grzegorz Napieralski, will be their candidate for the presidential elections in Poland on June 20.

Earlier, former prime minister and leader of SLD, Leszek Miller told TOK FM: “In emergency situations like this it is best to a use simple, transparent solution - that is, Grzegorz Napieralski, the leader of the party, as candidate.”

A new candidate had to be found after the death of Jerzy Szmajdziński in the Smolensk air crash.

The candidates who have declared they will stand in the hastily brought forward elections are: Bronislaw Komorowski for the Civic Platform party, the independent Andrzej Olechowski and the maverick Janusz Korwin Mikke of the Freedom and Order party.

Marek Jurek of Poland Right denied reports earlier this week that he had pulled out of the elections and will stand.

Law and Justice will name their candidate, most likely, on Monday. Overwhelming favourite, within the party, to take the place of the late Lech Kaczynski is his twin brother, Jaroslaw. (pg)