Not just a barometer

Last Sunday's local elections marked the first test of public mood since last year's national elections and, more recently, the acrimonious dissolution and subsequent resuscitation of the ruling coalition.

Despite the local character of the elections, their significance extends beyond that of a barometer for the political climate. More than 46,700 councillors' posts were up for election at voivodship, county and city levels, and mayoral races captured public attention in many cities. Following Lech Kaczyński's use of the Warsaw Mayor's office as a springboard to the presidency, coverage of contenders for that post was particularly broad.

Moreover, the local-election winners will have a strong influence on the expenditure of billions of euro from the EU in infrastructure projects throughout the country.

"We have to remember that it is the local governments which will be in charge of EU funds," the Prime Minister recently stated. "This time the ballot has more weight than [the local elections did] four or eight years ago."

In the run-up to the elections a survey conducted by pollster PGB showed the ruling coalition had around 40 percent support, partners Civic Platform and the Peasants' Party had 33 percent and the Leftist block had around 15 percent. A poll by Gfk Polonia corroborated those estimates and indicated that around 68 percent of Poles intended to vote.

Second round run-offs, where necessary, will be held on November 26. (Reuters)