Editor's note: The president of my dreams

Who is going to be elected the new president of Poland?

Chances are slim for a new Polish president after the first round, so the electoral campaign will probably continue for the coming fortnight. However, I'm writing this editorial on the pre-electoral Friday evening so it is difficult to prejudge the results of elections that are still to be held.

The leaders of the race are known - the candidates fighting for the presidential post are Donald Tusk from Civic Platform and Lech Kaczyński from Law and Justice.

I don't know for sure who the winner will be. What I do know for sure - as a careful observer of the Polish political scene and economic situation who, because of my profession, is striving to be politically impartial - is what the president should be like, in order to help Poland instead of acting to its detriment; in order to unite Poland and not divide her; in order for Poland to move forward, cherishing its history and not getting mired in the past and opening old wounds.

What should the new president of Poland be like then?

First, he should be a person who openly tells Poles that Poland's future shape depends on every single person. This is very important, especially for a country that is still in the process of building its own civil society, where only a couple years ago everything was considered common property and where all decisions were made by a centralized power instead of by the citizens.

Secondly, a president building a civil society cannot divide citizens into first- and second-class people: into Catholics and the rest of the world, or those with families and those not officially married or have a different sexual orientation.

Thirdly, we need a president who is open to foreign countries, especially our neighbors. One who will bypass historical conflicts and try to form healthy relations with Germany and Russia. One who is going to encourage investments and treat foreign capital as an opportunity to modernize and enrich Polish companies, rather than a threat.

Last but not least - we need a president for whom the economic welfare of Poland is the driving force. A president who supports citizens in their everyday efforts using a stick instead of a carrot. It is especially important if you consider the composition of the newly elected parliament where socialist views dominate.

Eliza Durka

Editor-in-chief