The main political players

WBJ's first update of the election campaign this year.
By : Robert Wylot

   Polish political parties have stepped up their Sept. 23 election campaigns by adopting slogans designed to appeal to voters across all political spectrums. In Part I of the Business Journal’s election coverage, we look at the main players and what they have to offer.

   The Democratic Left Alliance and Union of Labor coalition (SLD-UP) (http://www.sld-up.pl)

   Electoral support: 50%

   Campaign slogans: “Let’s restore normality. Let’s win the future.”

   The meaning behind the message:

   Michał Tober, SLD-UP spokesman: “The country is far from being healthy (under the current government). For example, the health service is in a poor state and the budget has taken a battering.”

   Analyst’s comment:

   Tomasz Żukowski, sociologist and political scientist at Warsaw University: “The SLD has not announced a concrete economic agenda. It wants to avoid talking about the economy. Take the budget issue, for example. The SLD says it will analyze the budget only after the elections, because it knows the decision will be hard on the voters.”

   AWSP (Solidarity Election Action of the Right) (http://www.awsp.pl)

   Electoral support: 9%

   Campaign slogans: “Others talk, we change Poland.” Also: “The Right Poland.”

   The meaning behind the message:

   Ryszard Czarnecki, AWSP spokesman: “The first slogan is a response to the opposition who promise a lot, but they did nothing when they had their chance. The second slogan suggests that we are both a right-wing party and a righteous people’s party. Our electorate are people who believe that communist Poland wasn’t a paradise of affluence. It’s also a traditional electorate who respect values such as the family, the nation and religion.”

   Analyst’s comment:

   Tomasz Żukowski: “The first slogan certainly sounded better before the budget woes came to light.”

   PO (Civic Platform) (http://www.platforma.org)

   Electoral support: 12%

   Campaign slogan: “The chance for Poland.”

   The meaning behind the message:

   Maciej Grabowski, head of the PO press office: “Our agenda creates a chance for Poland. We want to solve Poles’ real problems. The average Pole doesn’t talk with his wife about homosexual couples, the National Bank’s independence or European integration. They talk about jobs, equal chances, safety and less corruption.”

   Analyst’s comment:

   Tomasz Żukowski: “The PO is the more liberal heir of UW (Freedom Union).”

   UW (Freedom Union) (http://www.waw.pl)

   Electoral support: 4%

   Campaign slogan: “A strong middle class – a chance for Poland.”

   The meaning behind the message:

   Andrzej Potocki, UW spokesman: “We want to emphasize our achievements in the government in the areas of education and promotion of small businesses. In the former, it’s the increase of state budget spending on education. In the latter, it’s changes in the labor code that facilitate the employment of new workers.”

   Analyst’s comment:

   Tomasz Żukowski: “The PO has taken over most of the liberal-democratic voters and they muscled out the UW. The UW now has a 40-50% chance to get into Parliament.”

   PSL (Polish Peasants Party) (http:www.psl.pl)

   Electoral support: 11%

   Campaign slogan: “Close to people’s problems.”

   The meaning behind the message:

   Przemysław Szustakiewicz, PSL spokesman: “We want to solve what the people are most concerned about: jobs, social security, health concerns, crime. Our electorate isn’t just rural, we want to approach the ‘land behind the big city,’ including the small town population.”

   Analyst’s comment:

   Tomasz Żukowski: “PSL is trying to reach the left-wing electorate in cities as well. The inclusion of Ryszard Bugaj (long-time leader of UP) proves it.

   PiS (Law and Justice) (http:www.prawo-i-sprawiedliwosc.pl)

   Electoral support: 7%

   Campaign slogan: “Law and Justice.”

   The meaning behind the message:

   Paweł Białecki of the PiS campaign committee: “We want to build a strong state founded on the law. Lech Kaczyński (PiS leader) showed how to do it when he was justice minister. We have a right-wing electorate”

   Analyst’s comment:

   Tomasz Żukowski: “PiS’ strongest asset is its leader. Lech Kaczyński has recently (as justice minister) begun to be associated with a struggle against crime and corruption.”

   * Statistics are based on the latest opinion polls by PBS research firm.