PO calls for electoral reform to eradicate lists and argues against early ballot

The Civic Platform (PO) yesterday called a press conference during which the party suggested changing the country's constitution that would allow only one deputy being elected from each constituency. Donald Tusk, the PO's leader, appealed to the President and political leaders to support his idea. However, his electoral reforms plans subsequently came in for criticism from various experts in constitutional law, who warned that such a change could in fact be unconstitutional. Tusk and also suggested that President Aleksander Kwaśniewski should not call early parliamentary elections immediately after Marek Belka fails to win another vote of confidence. Instead, he argued that the president should wait until the beginning of September. In response, Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) leader Krzysztof Janik said the PO should not oppose Belka cabinet and instead give the government a chance to pass legislation on reforming public finances and the health system, a notion dismissed by Tusk, who affirmed he would not support Belka. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A1) D.W.