Poland Elections 2015: President Bronislaw Komorowski Hopes to Win Second Term

Poles are voting to elect the country’s president for the next five years.

Poland’s presidential elections on May 10 have a colorful cast of candidates whose antics are providing most of the drama, because there is little suspense about the result: incumbent President Bronislaw Komorowski expected to easily win a second term in office.

Opinion polls put Bronislaw Komorowski in the lead, but if no candidate wins more than 50% of the vote there will be a second round.

Bronislaw Komorowski took office in 2010 after his predecessor, Lech Kaczynski, died in a plane crash.

The president has limited powers, but is head of the armed forces and can veto new laws.

Bronislaw Komorowski, 62, is an independent allied with the centre-right Civic Platform, which has been in government since 2007.

His main challenger is Andrzej Duda, from the right-wing opposition Law and Justice party, which is led by former President Lech Kaczynski’s twin brother, Jaroslaw.

Rock musician Pawel Kukiz looks likely to gather protest votes, but has trailed the leading pair in opinion polls. Another eight candidates are standing.

During a period of tension with Russia over the unrest in Ukraine, President Bronislaw Komorowski says he has promoted stability.

The presidential vote comes ahead of parliamentary elections this autumn, and may give pointers to Civic Platform’s chances of retaining power.

If no candidate wins more than 50%, a second round will be held on May 24.