Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
Poland holds vote after president's air-crash death
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
More Yahoo! Services
Account Options
New User? Sign Up
Sign In
Help
Yahoo! Search
web search
ADVERTISEMENT
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular
Photos
Sitemap
Poland holds vote after president's air-crash death
AFP - Sunday, July 4
Send
IM Story
Print
Poland holds vote after president's air-crash death
WARSAW (AFP) - – Poles vote Sunday in an election forced by the air-crash death of conservative president Lech Kaczynski, in what looks to be a tight race between his bereaved twin and the governing liberals' candidate.
Pitting conservative ex-prime minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski against liberal acting president Bronislaw Komorowski, it marks the latest chapter in a bitter power struggle between the two camps.
Poland's 31 million voters can cast ballots from 6:00 am (0400 GMT) to 8:00 pm (1800 GMT).
Lech Kaczynski perished on April 10 when Poland's presidential jet crashed in Smolensk, western Russia as it landed for a World War II commemoration. A total of 96 people died, among them his wife, senior politicians and military top brass.
Under the constitution, speaker of parliament Komorowski became acting head of state.
Still reeling, Poland was battered in May and June by the worst floods in decades which killed 24 and forced thousands from their homes.
"This election began with a tragedy. I hope it will end with a great success for Poland," Jaroslaw Kaczynski said at a rally before a campaign blackout began at midnight Friday.
Final opinion polls suggested a close call, with floating voters holding the key. Komorowski's support ranged from 45 to 54 percent, and Kaczynski's, 42 to 45 percent.
Lech Kaczynski came from behind to beat liberal Donald Tusk -- now prime minister -- in the 2005 presidential election.
Jaroslaw Kaczynski, head of the conservative, eurosceptic Law and Justice party, was his twin's premier in 2006-2007 but lost a general election to Tusk and Komorowski's Civic Platform.
Thereafter, Law and Justice counted on Lech Kaczynski, who used his presidential veto powers 18 times to block government legislation.
With an eye on their core voters -- older, small-town or rural residents, in contrast with younger, urban liberals -- the twins battled welfare reforms and a new privatisation drive.
Tusk's government underscores that on its watch, Poland was alone in the 27-nation European Union in posting economic growth last year amid the global crisis.
Lech Kaczynski was expected to seek a second five-year term in an autumn ballot, but tipped to lose to Komorowski, who pledged an end to infighting.
Since launching his audacious bid to replace his twin, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, 61, has struggled to shake off his divisive reputation.
"You have the choice between a politician who harbours resentment and grudges, and the future, with an optimistic vision of Poland," said Komorowski, 58, at a rally.
Komorowski took 41.5 percent of the vote in a June 20 first round, short of the 50 percent required to win outright. Kaczynski scored 36.5 percent.
Left-wing Social Democrat Grzegorz Napieralski scored an unexpectedly-high 13.7 percent. Seven other candidates all took below two percent.
Both Komorowski and Kaczynski have since courted the left.
Sunday's vote is a test before parliamentary polls in 2011.
Recommend
Send
IM Story
Print
News Search
Top Stories
Poland holds vote after president's air-crash death
Finland takes first place at wife-carrying championship
Betancourt returns to Colombia 2 yrs after release
US plans grant to preserve Auschwitz death camp
DR.Congo tanker fire kills 200: Red Cross
More Top Stories »
ADVERTISEMENT
Most Popular
Most Viewed
Most Recommended
Paris Hilton arrested after Brazil World Cup match: reports
Supertanker skims oil as spill now worst accident on record
S.Africa judge drops drugs charge against Paris Hilton
Oil spill claims arriving faster than BP can pay them
World's biggest cake melting in Paris heatwave
More Most Viewed »
Aussie men shoot each other in buttocks 'to see if it hurts'
Amputee cat gets bionic legs
Fans gather for Michael Jackson death anniversary
Who's right - the dolphin or the octopus?
Disgraced millionaire lobbyist takes pizza job
More Most Recommended »
Elsewhere on Yahoo!
Financial news on Yahoo! Finance
Stars and latest movies
Best travel destinations
More on Yahoo! News
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Subscribe to our news feeds
Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS
» More news feeds | What are news feeds?
Also on Yahoo
Answers
Groups
Mail
Messenger
Mobile
Travel
Finance
Movies
Sports
Games
» All Yahoo! Services
Site Highlights
Singapore
Full Coverage
Most Popular
Asia Entertainment
Photos
World Cup 2010
Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Service |
Privacy Policy |
Community |
Intellectual Property Rights Policy |
Help
Other News on Sunday, 4 July 2010 New Afghan war commander set to formally take reins
Russian spy arrests came after threats to decade-long probe
Petraeus: 'We are in this to win' in Afghanistan
Afghan war at critical stage, says Petraeus
|
Finland takes first place at wife-carrying championship
Fuel tanker explosion kills over 230 in Congo
|
Petraeus formally assumes command in Afghanistan
Poland holds vote after president's air-crash death
Betancourt returns to Colombia 2 yrs after release
Gen. Petraeus takes command of US, NATO forces
Rail chaos in Paris after lightning cuts power
US plans grant to preserve Auschwitz death camp
Palestinian who planned Munich attack dies in Syria
|
Demonstrators in Spain protest new abortion law
Palestinian who planned Munich attack dies in Syria
DR.Congo tanker fire kills 200: Red Cross
Poles begin voting in tight presidential run-off
|
Iran pushes U.S. on missing scientist
Iran pushes U.S. on missing scientist
|
Supertanker skims oil as spill now worst accident on record
U.S. VP Biden visits Iraq amid election deadlock
Japan PM seeks vote win to avoid policy deadlock
|
Kyrgyzstan gets Central Asia's first woman president
Petraeus to formally assume command in Afghanistan
Venezuela says suspect plotted election violence
|
U.N. peacekeeper wounded in Lebanon clash
Otunbayeva sworn in as Kyrgyz interim president
|
Ahmadinejad calls sanctions against Iran pathetic
Mexican states to vote under shadow of drug war
|
U.N. peacekeeper wounded in Lebanon clash
|
China sentences another Tibetan environmentalist
Pakistan urchins swap streets for art
Philippine drive for massacre witness protection
Lockerbie bomber 'could live 10 yrs' with cancer
Howard praises India, pushes ICC presidency bid
Biden 'extremely optimistic' about Iraq's democracy
Fear in China's Urumqi city on riot anniversary
Global Weather-Celsius
Australia mining tax deal builds new PM's brand
New Afghan war commander appeals for unity
Australian PM's immigration vows
U.S., Poland sign missile shield pact on Clinton trip
Child suicide prompts India punishment debate
Calif. state workers brace for minimum wage
A walk on the wild side
Cadel Evans loses team-mate at Tour de France
Hollywood agent Ed Limato dies
Strike ends at Japanese electronics plant in China: report
Secrets of Mummies unraveled in California
Settlers worry about impact of Palestinian boycott
Explosion of joy in Madrid as Spain makes semis
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Hollywood agent Ed Limato dies
Indonesia proof that democracy, Islam can co-exist: minister
Tributes pour in for French film and theatre legend
Gays, lesbians show pride in European capitals
Million-strong Gay Pride party in London
New "Twilight" film eclipses box office rivals
New Twilight film eclipses box office rivals
|
Hollywood agent Ed Limato dies
|
PKK bombs Iraq-Turkey pipeline
Iran unveils human-like robot: report
Yemeni Shi'ites fire on troops, straining truce
|
Lebanon cleric, listed as 'terrorist' in US, dead
Israel grants wider powers to Gaza flotilla inquiry
|
Suicide bomber in government HQ in west Iraq kills 3
South African unions call off strike at Eskom
|
Israel grants wider powers to Gaza flotilla inquiry
Suicide bomber in government HQ in west Iraq kills 3
|
Four die in Iraq suicide bomb attack: ministry
Senior Lebanese Shi'ite cleric Fadlallah dies
|
US 'ready to help' Azerbaijan, Armenia on peace deal
Brazil's Rousseff and Serra tied in presidential race
|
Iran could halt uranium enrichment if given fuel: MP
ECB chief rules out risk of new recession
Foreign and Afghan forces kill 63 insurgents: interior ministry
|
Deutsche Bahn plans to invest record $51 billlion
Petraeus: 'We are in this to win' in Afghanistan
PKK bombs Iraq-Turkey pipeline
|
Villa, Klose star as Europe tighten World Cup grip
Afghan gov't: 63 drug smugglers, terrorists killed
West China city braces for deadly riot anniversary
|
Sumo wrestler and stable master fired in Japan
China mudslide toll at 42, with 57 missing: report
Spotlight on bank tests as ECB readies rate meeting
China's population to near 1.4 billion by 2015
India preens over new airport terminal
S.Korean leader orders illegal surveillance probe
Uighurs in Japan call for freedom in China
Biden marks Independence Day with troops in Iraq
Clinton makes fence-mending trip to Azerbaijan
New Afghan war commander formally takes reins
Azerbaijan seeks US help over regional conflict
Iran says it has 'evidence' scientist abducted by CIA
NY contest blends US love of hot dogs, competition
Police: NY man blows off arm with party fireworks
Taiwan's anti-China groups to rally against trade pact
Spain to get church for same-sex marriages: report
Last gasp for beer fest? Munich mulls smoking ban
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights