General election on 25 October

Outgoing president Komorowski set the date on Friday.

Poles will vote to elect a new government for a four-year term. The 460 MPs for the Sejm lower house of parliament and 100 senators will also be elected.

According to the Polish constitution, “Elections to the Sejm and the Senate shall be ordered by the President of the Republic no later than 90 days before the expiry of the four year period beginning with the commencement of the Sejm's and Senate's term of office, and he shall order such elections to be held on a non-working day which shall be within the 30 day period before the expiry of the four year period beginning from the commencement of the Sejm's and Senate's term of office.”

Senators may be nominated by political parties and voters. No single politician can run simultaneously to the Sejm and the Senate. All adult Polish citizens can vote in Polish general elections.

According to recent polls, if elections to the Sejm were held this week the opposition party Law and Justice (PiS), in alliance with two smaller conservative groupings, would win 43 percent of the vote. (rg)

Source: PAP