Just six weeks before a presidential election in Poland, the governing national conservative Law and Justice party (PiS) wants to give everyone the right to vote by post due to the coronavirus epidemic.
The party introduced a corresponding bill in parliament on Tuesday, according to the PAP news agency.
Unlike other countries in the European Union, there is currently no general option for postal voting in Poland.
The PiS is responding to the growing criticism of its plan to hold the presidential election on May 10 as planned.
Almost all opposition presidential candidates, as well as the mayors of the largest Polish cities, had spoken out in favour of postponing the vote.
Comprehensive protective measures to contain the coronavirus have largely brought public life in Poland to a standstill since March 13.
Nevertheless, the conservatives are insisting on sticking to the election date.
The PiS incumbent President Andrzej Duda is currently leading all of the opinion polls.
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If the election is postponed to a later date, the negative economic consequences of the coronavirus crisis could already be evident, with a corresponding impact on the election result.
In a Facebook chat, Duda countered the question of rescheduling on Monday as follows: “If it is possible to go to the shop normally for shopping, then it is also possible to go to the polling station.”
On Tuesday, parliament, with the absolute majority of the PiS, passed a legislative package that provides economic aid and bureaucratic relief for companies hit by the coronavirus crisis.
The PiS had already added a change in voting rights to the package whereby only eligible voters in quarantine and citizens aged 60 and over should be allowed to vote for the new president by post.
Since the PiS is particularly popular with older people, this provision had been sharply criticized by the opposition. (dpa)
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