No major surprise and two minor surprises – my conclusion after the exit poll results were disclosed. There’s a considerable discrepancy between the preliminary results – Mr Komorowski earned between 40% and 46% of votes, Mr Kaczynski between 33% and 36%. However, the gaps between the winner and the runner-up significantly vary. In TVN it was 12.5 percentage points, in TVP only 5.5 percentage points. How come?
The biggest winner of this election is Mr Napieralski, he has a reason to be proud of his result – around 14 per cent of votes means he has won his “to be or not to be in politics” battle. Today’s vote might a beginning of his real political career and may turn over a new leaf for the left wing of Polish political scene. I have to congratulate to Mr Korwin-Mikke as well. The fourth score proves Poles are sick of typical politicians and long for a pinch of straightforwardness – this fills me with optimism.
Mr Komorowski in his speech thanked Mr Pawlak and congratulated to Mr Napieralski. I’m sure very soon I’ll see or hear somebody reproaching him over not mentioning Mr Kaczynski, what will surely be perceived as lack of good manners. Mr Kaczynski did congratulate to Mr Napieralski, as both candidates will be trying to garner Mr Napieralski’s votes and did not forget to say a few good words to Mr Komorowski.
I’ve had enough of the campaign and I can’t say I’m really happy to have to keep abreast of this for the next two weeks. I hope the candidates will focus on substantive discussion on the future of Poland and no skeletons will pop up from any cupboards. The last post in “Polish presidential election in 2010” will be published on July 4th.
First frost, 2024
-
My blog is a subjective account rather than an exhaustive and objective
list. Over the years I have been noting the occurrence of the first frost
of autu...
2 days ago
4 comments:
I'd be interested to hear what you think the substantive issues are for the Presidential post.
Good question Steve, here you are:
1. The extent to which a president would like to exercise his right to draft new laws.
2. The reasons why a president would veto laws proposed by the government.
3. Experience in international politics, being recoginsable abroad, ease at establishing and fostering relationships between him and his counterparts
4. His approach to his role in conduct of foreign affairs
5. His command of foreign langauges (damn, no matter who we choose it will be a disaster) as it is essential to be able to talk to other politicians without an interpreter
6. His understanding of mechanics of economy - absolutely crucial in terms of vetoing and signing new laws
7. A general ability to reach a compromise with people of different views
8. His views on bereaucratic apparatus, its size and criteria of hiring the officials
9. Manners, knowledge of diplomatic protocol, if a new president yet doesn't know much about those issues, he should start learning right away
10. Gift of the gab - not that substantive, but a president should be a good speaker and should use a plain langauge plus teh content should be featured with wisdom and maturity.
Satisfied?
Thanks very much, you have given me exactly what I wanted. It was a serious question, in case you thought otherwise, as my detailed knowledge is insufficient to recognise all of the issues. I wouldn't have thought of all these (whether to agree or disagree) or have been able to set them out so clearly. I had already figured out, however, that TV journalists often have have even less understanding than I do eg sarcastic comments that voters want to know about the candidates' views on health service reform. Your list gives several reasons why this is important. Marvellous stuff.
mhm. actually I voted for Napieralski, but not because I see him fit to be president. I did that in protest against the hegemony of the right in politics. and i did that because both rightwing parties which hold the hegemony, are in my opinion in the middle ages when it comes to social issues like equal rights and equal opportunities.
I'm not a liberal anymore, in the sense that i don't believe that free market will solve everything. I think taxes and social policies are importaint in making this country better for people, in assuring that everyone has equal chances, regardless of their background or wealth of their parents. i see a lot of potential talent going to waste right now. I think social policies and benefits need a major reform in Poland. I don't think SLD is a good choice for better social policies, no. I just don't agree with the ways of PO and PiS. If I lived in the UK I would strongly support New Labour. But where do I find them in the Polish political landscape?:)
Post a Comment