Poles vote in droves as presidential vote reveals divisions

Record ID: 1561963

  • Title: Poles vote in droves as presidential vote reveals divisions
  • Date: 12th July 2020
  • Summary: WARSAW, POLAND (JULY 12, 2020) (REUTERS) ENTRANCE TO POLLING STATION WITH SAFETY PLACARDS INSTRUCTING TO COVER FACE AND DISINFECT HANDS PEOPLE WAITING IN LINE TO REGISTER FOR VOTE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE REGISTERING FOR VOTE MAN WALKING OUT OF VOTING BOOTH WOMAN FILMING ON MOBILE PHONE AS SHE CAST VOTE BALLOTS FALLING INSIDE BALLOT BOX ELDERLY MAN CASTING VOTE WOMAN WALKING OUT OF VOTING BOOTH WOMAN CASTING VOTE MAN WALKING OUT OF VOTING BOOTH WOMAN SANITIZING BALLOT BOX PEOPLE QUEUING TO REGISTER FOR VOTE
  • Embargoed: 26th July 2020 15:02
  • Keywords: Andrzej Duda Poland Polish election Polish politics Rafal trzaskowski polling stations voting day
  • Location: WARSAW, POLAND
  • City: WARSAW, POLAND
  • Country: Poland
  • Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
  • Reuters ID: LVA001CMI7RD3
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Poles were voting in droves on Sunday (July 12) in a knife-edge presidential election, which sees the incumbent and ruling conservatives' ally Andrzej Duda facing off against liberal challenger Rafal Trzaskowski.
    Turnout at 1000 GMT was 24.73%, slightly higher than at the same time during the first round and more than seven percentage points higher than in the last presidential election in 2015.
    Voters were queuing outside polling stations with longest lines forming in holiday resorts where a lot of Poles spend their holiday.
    The election will determine if the government can deepen judicial reforms that the European Union says increase political control over the courts. The president holds the power of veto and Trzaskowski has promised that if he wins he will block legislation that he believes would undermine democratic norms.
    Given that Poland's president holds few executive powers, it is unlikely Trzaskowski could bring about significant change if he won. But with the presidency as well as the upper house of parliament in opposition hands, PiS's ability to implement its agenda would be hampered.
    Polling stations in the election, a run-off after the first round on June 28, close at 1900 GMT, at which point the results of an exit poll will be announced.
    (Production: Kacper Pempel, Aleksandra Szmigiel, Malgorzata Wojtunik)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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