While support for the two leading parties, Civic Platform and Law and Justice remains steady, the number of respondents telling pollsters that they would vote for the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) is growing.

If a general election was held last weekend then SLD would receive 16 percent of the vote, up four percent from two weeks ago, finds the latest poll by Gfk Polonia.

Forty five percent said they would vote for the ruling centre-right Civic Platform, with 29 percent pledging support for the more conservative Law and Justice party.

The junior coalition partner, the Polish Peasant’s Party would receive five percent support, just enough under Poland’s PR system to gain seats in the lower house of parliament, the Sejm.

The poll comes while President Bronislaw Komorowski continues to consult with leading politicians on the date for this year’s general election. Civic Platform is known to favour 23 October, though other parties argue that an election during Poland’s six-month presidency of the EU, which begins 1 July, would be problematic.

Today, President Komorowski is meeting with heads of political parties within parliament. Yesterday, he had talks with Prime Minister Donald Tusk on the issue.

Spokesman at the President’s Office Krzysztof Łaszkiewicz says that, theoretically, Komorowski is looking at one of the first three weekends in October. President Komorowski is also considering having the ballot over two days, and not one day as is usual in Poland.

The Gfk Polonia poll was taken between 24 and 27 February from a sample of 998. (pg)