Polish Political Parties Prepare For New Elections In Poland
Classified Polnews
Polish political parties are rumored to be making preparations for new elections that may be held in Poland on 17 June, 2007. The main parties are said to be working together behind the scenes to eliminate the small parties from the new Polish Parliament.
Observers report widespread preparations that indicate that new elections may in fact be held.
Political parties are said to be reserving billboards for advertising. The election target date is 17 June.
The Prime Minister's party, Law And Justice, is said to be preparing a new law that would not allow anyone convicted of a crime to take office. The target is of the bill is apparently current Minister of Agriculture and head of the political party Samoobrona, Andrzej Lepper.
Law and Justice and the main opposition party Civic Platform are said to be working on a bill that would raise the vote threshold for entry to the Parliament from 5% to 8%. That would likely eliminate a list of political parties that includes, but is not limited to Samoobrona, League of Polish Families, PSL and Marek Jurek's new party. See Shakeup in Poland As New Political Party Splits Polish Government
Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski commented that there would be new elections if enough members of his party left for Marek Jurek's new party such that the Government Coalition would not have a majority. That has not happened yet.
But Andrzej Lepper seems to think that it may happen. He said, "I am not sure whether the coalition will last till 2009. It all depends on the mutiny on the Law and Justice (PiS) ship. Because, undoubtedly, there is such a mutiny."
The key to elections seems to be whether Marek Jurek can pull ten more people from the Law and Justice party into his own. From outward appearances, he does not seem to have much momentum and may not do it.
But Law And Justice may go forward anyway if they can pass a bill that would eliminate the smaller parties from the Parliament to avert future problems.
The next week will be critical as Marek Jurek goes forward with his efforts.
It is all conjecture right now, but some people, including the advertising agencies, seem to be taking it seriously.
