2023-10-15 09:35 update: 2023-10-15, 21:55
Photo PAP/Darek Delmanowicz
A parliamentary election and a referendum started in Poland at 7:00 am on Sunday and is planned to end at 9:00 pm.
Poles are heading to the ballot box to elect 460 new MPs and 100 senators for a four-year term.
There are 6,655 candidates, including 2,949 women, running for the Sejm, lower house, seats and 360 candidates, including 69 women, running for the Senate, upper house, seats.
The four-question referendum covers a proposed EU migrant relocation scheme, the sale of state assets, the future of a fence on the Polish-Belarusian border and the retirement age.
The United Right coalition led by the Law and Justice (PiS) party, its main contender, the centrist Civic Coalition (KO), the Third Way, consisting of the agrarian Polish People's Party (PSL) and Poland 2050, the far-right Confederation, the left-wing New Left grouping and Non-Partisan Local Government Activists are the six electoral committees that have managed to register their Sejm election lists in all 41 constituencies.
Seven other political groupings have also registered their lists, but only in some constituencies.
A ban on electioneering, publication of opinion polls and promotion of individual candidates or lists, including online, came into force at midnight on Friday and will last until the end of voting scheduled for 9 pm.
Breaking the electoral silence is punishable by a fine of up to PLN 1 million (EUR 221,000)
Over 29 million Poles are eligible to vote.
The average age of an MP candidate is 46. The youngest is 21 and the oldest is 92.
The average candidate for a senator is over 54. The youngest is 30 and the oldest is 84.
The State Electoral Commission (PKW) will hold four press conferences on Sunday, at 10 am, 1:30 pm; 6:30 pm and finally at 10 pm, after the vote is concluded.
Shortly after 9 pm, public television station TVP and private stations TVN and Polsat are expected to publish the results of an exit poll conducted by Ipsos.
The official election results are due on Tuesday, October 17, before 1200 noon.
(PAP)
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