2023-10-16 14:43 update: 2023-10-17, 21:24
Szymon Hołownia, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. Photo PAP/Rafał Guz
Polish opposition bloc The Third Way has no intention of holding talks on a possible coalition government with the incumbent conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, politicians of the alliance have told PAP.
The Third Way - a coalition of the agrarian Polish People's Party (PSL) and the centre-right Poland 2050 - received 13 percent of the vote in a general election on Sunday, according to an exit poll. The same poll said PiS had won the ballot with 36.8-percent support but had failed to secure an overall majority in the lower house of parliament, the Sejm.
PSL Vice-President Dariusz Klimczak told PAP the bloc's campaign and political position had been built on criticism of PiS's management of the economy, the health service and education as well as "how they have destroyed our international relations and position in the European Union."
He went on to say that "there are a million arguments why no serious person in politics would talk to PiS after what they have done over two terms."
Asked whether The Third Way intended to hold talks with the main opposition grouping, Civic Coalition (KO), which the exit poll put in second place on 31.6 percent, and The New Left (8.6 percent), Klimczak replied that the first serious talks would take place a few hours after publication of the official final results. He added that the leaders of the opposition parties remained in constant contact with one another.
PSL leader Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz ruled out a coalition with PiS earlier on Monday, telling the RMF FM radio station that The Third Way had run under the slogan: "Either The Third Way or a third term of PiS," which he said precluded any alliance between the two.
Poland 2050's deputy leader, Micahl Koboso, also ruled out any talks with PiS, adding that further steps would be announced when the official results were in. (PAP)
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