By Pavol Stracansky
WARSAW, Sep 27 2005 (IPS)

The results of the Polish election may have brought as many questions as answers for a domestic electorate disillusioned by political scandals and soaring unemployment.

The centre-right Law and Justice Party (PiS) and the Civic Platform (PO) swept to power in last weekend’s parliamentary elections after winning more than 50 percent of the vote together. The result was widely seen as a snub to the ruling Democratic Left Alliance (SLD).

But as PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski and PO leader Jan Rokita set about agreeing on a new government, both will be painfully aware that turnout at just 40 percent was the lowest for a parliamentary election since the communist regime fell in Poland in 1989.

Analysts say a series of scandals which marred the SLD’s time in government have tainted the image of all politicians. “We must restore trust in the state, something which has been highly compromised in recent years,” Kaczynski said after the result became clear Sunday.

Both parties will have to work hard to restore that lost trust. They have pledged to be tough on corruption, but actions will speak louder than words. Voters will be looking to what could be the first such test of that commitment within days.

Kaczynski’s twin brother Lech is running for president in the elections to be held Oct. 9. He has said that if his brother is voted in as head of state, he will not take the job of prime minister. That would avoid making twins president and prime minister, and show that a commitment to a transparent government is real.

The SLD, made up largely of former communists, was seen by many voters to have failed on the economy, particularly on employment. At 18 percent, Poland has Europe’s highest unemployment rate.

There are other concerns. Poles are worried what the introduction of the euro could mean to the economy and their daily lives. Across the European Union (EU) many people in countries that have introduced the euro complain that goods seem much more expensive. Just months ago the anti-euro feeling in some countries was such that economists began to speculate whether the euro has a future.

The new parties in government have major policy differences on tackling unemployment, and over the euro.

The liberal PO party has won the praise of the business community with its call for a 15 percent flat tax rate.. The PiS is against a flat tax because of its potential effect on poorer citizens. It has championed greater investment in welfare services in a country which has wealth levels at half the EU average.

During the campaign the PiS even warned voters that under a PO-dominated government Poles would live with less food on the table.

The two parties seem divided on the euro as well. The PO is keen to see it brought in to replace the zloty as soon as possible. The PiS is backing a wait-and-see approach.

But the parties have a similar approach on Europe and other foreign policy matters – much to the concern of officials in Brussels.

Although not considered fervent Eurospectics, the PiS and PO have made clear they are against a European Constitution. The PiS has said that Poland will no longer be dictated to by the older EU member states.

Non-EU neighbours such as Russia and Belarus will also have taken note of the election results.

Outgoing Polish president Alexander Kwasniewski had already begun to steer Poland away from Russia. He was seen in the west as a supporter of Viktor Yushchenko’s Orange Revolution which swept to power at the end of last year. Kwasniewski had earlier supported the U..S.-led invasion of Iraq.

The new ruling parties are likely to be even more pronounced in this shift away from Russia. Their pre-election campaign focused at times on the need to counter Russia’s attempts to tighten its grip on oil supplies to western Europe.

The parties have pledged to seek a stronger EU stance on increasing authoritarianism in the Kremlin.

But the two parties will need first to overcome differences on economic policy that appear to separate them widely at the moment, and to win back the trust of voters.

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