Storming the capital

Local government elections are roughly six months away, but the leading political forces have already sounded the starting gun for the main race and the biggest prize - the office of the mayor of Warsaw.

Left-wing parties Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) and Social Democracy of Poland (SdPL) have approached the latter's MEP Dariusz Rosati about taking part. He admitted that talks were held, but remains noncommittal. "I do not confirm that I'll be running," Rosati told Rzeczpospolita.

Both parties think that Rosati, a former Foreign Minister and an economist from the Warsaw School of Economics, could garner support from across the political spectrum, and restore some much-needed dignity to the left after last year's disastrous parliamentary election.

Apart from Rosati, SdPL's leader Marek Borowski was seen as the most-likely candidate for the post. There were even rumors that former President Aleksander Kwaśniewski could make his return to the Polish political arena by running for the post vacated by his successor. 

Things are more quiet and secretive on the other side of the front. While Civic Platform long ago announced that former Central Bank president Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz would be its candidate for mayor, Law and Justice has yet to name its contender. The left daily Trybuna speculated that Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz was planning to resign and run for the post.

Rumors in another daily, Życie Warszawy, threw the Minister of Finance's name into the ring, but Zyta Gilowska has dismissed the speculation. Another option is chief architect of Warsaw, Michał Borowski, but he appears reluctant to join the race. (Reuters)