A newly released survey by GfK Polonia reveals that incumbent mayors in Poland’s major cities can count on being re-elected in the forthcoming local government elections.
The survey, which was commissioned by private TV station TVN, shows Warsaw president Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz (Civic Platform) regaining her seat in the City Hall with 57 percent of the ballot. Her main opponent, Czeslaw Bielecki, an independent candidate yet supported by Law and Justice, is trailing behind with merely 11 percent of votes, on a par with leftist candidate Wojciech Olejniczak.
Likewise in the Silesian capital of Katowice, three-times Law and Justice-backed president Piotr Uszok maintains a lead with 50 percent in the polls. His main rival, Arkadisuz Godlewski (Civic Platform) is on 21 percent.
In the western city of Poznan, incumbent president Ryszard Grobelny can count on 51 percent of the ballot according to the poll, which gives other candidates 20 percent (Grzegorz Ganowicz – Civic Platform), 8 percent (Jacek Bachalski – Democratic Left Alliance) and 7 percent (Tadeusz Dziuba – Law and Justice) respectively.
In Wroclaw, south-west Poland, city president Rafal Dutkiewicz, who was supported by both Civic Platform as well as Law and Justice and now stands as an independent candidate, is billed to receive 66 percent of the vote.
Other pretenders to the Wroclaw City Hall are Dawid Jackiewicz (13 percent – Law and Justice), Slawomir Piechota (6 percent – Civic Platform) and Jacek Uczkiewicz (4 percent – Democratic Left Alliance).
In the Baltic resort of Sopot, Jacek Karnowski (Civic Platform) has 42 percent support, even though he is suspected by prosecutors on cases of corruption. His closest rival, independent candidate Wojciech Fulek is on 38 percent.
In the southern city of Krakow, incumbent president Jacek Majchrowski, supported by the Democratic Left Alliance, is billed to receive 47 percent of the ballot. His main rival, provincial governor Stanislaw Kracik (Civic Platform) can count on 22 percent. Andrzej Duda, the Law and Justice candidate is on 15 percent. (jb)