Almost 80 percent of Poles want to postpone presidential election

As many as four out of five Poles – 79 percent – want to postpone the presidential election to a later date, according to a survey commissioned by Onet, one of the largest Polish news sites. The percentage of electorate in favor of changing the election date increased by 16 percentage points and this is the biggest difference compared to previous results, the portal has claimed.

Research, said Onet, was conducted based on an algorithm that distinguishes sincere answers from wishful thinking and empty declarations. They show that 61 percent of Poles agree with the new restrictions on leaving home (86 percent declared it).

“Compared to the first study, the number of people truly frightened by the current situation has dropped to 7 percent (a drop of 5 percentage points). Fewer of us are also afraid of the lack of food in stores and the possibility of riots or unrest. At the same time, the number of people who are convinced that they are following the government’s recommendations on how to protect themselves against coronavirus is increasing. The number of those who are worried about their professional future is falling (a decrease of 5 percentage points to 20 percent),” stated Onet.

According to the website, research shows that fewer and fewer people share the belief that coronavirus is a biological weapon (a drop of 4pp to 10 percent). “On the other hand, the number of people negatively assessing the government’s actions is growing (an increase by 8pp, up to 32 percent). And in one case we are virtually unanimous – as many as 79 percent of Poles (an increase by 16pp) – and are clearly determined to postpone the presidential election. This number has grown the fastest compared to the previous survey,” portal added.

The first round of the Polish presidential election is set to take place on May 10.

Research indicates that not only more and more people are showing real concern for others (at 62 percent following a 4pp rise), but more people are strongly trying to motivate others to follow the recommendations on how to fight the epidemic (at 58 percent, following an 8pp jump).

“More and more of Poles are sincerely afraid of the coronavirus disease (49 percent, an increase of 3pp), but more and more believe that we will surely and soon be able to beat it (65 percent, an increase of 5pp). However, there is a growing dissatisfaction that the country is poorly prepared for the pandemic.”

Research also shows that men are less worried about the limited ability to spend time with loved ones and friends (16 percent). Women, however, are more affected by the lack of close social contacts (26 percent).

The study was conducted on March 26-27 by NEUROHM, a global neuro research and technology provider, and Brad Consulting, a management firm operating since 2009. The researchers checked not only what the declarations of Poles were but also whether they were hesitating or sure while giving answers.

(Onet, PAP)