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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Poland votes in a snap election | Poland votes in a snap election |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| People in Poland are voting in general elections called two years early, after the collapse of the ruling coalition in a row over a corruption investigation. | People in Poland are voting in general elections called two years early, after the collapse of the ruling coalition in a row over a corruption investigation. |
| Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski's conservative Law and Justice Party is being challenged by the Civic Platform, led by centre right rival Donald Tusk. | Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski's conservative Law and Justice Party is being challenged by the Civic Platform, led by centre right rival Donald Tusk. |
| Both parties have their roots in the anti-communist Solidarity movement. | Both parties have their roots in the anti-communist Solidarity movement. |
| Some Poles still believe a coalition between them would give Poland its best chance of stable government. | Some Poles still believe a coalition between them would give Poland its best chance of stable government. |
| Some are calling these elections the most important since the fall of Communism in 1989. | Some are calling these elections the most important since the fall of Communism in 1989. |
| Polarised | Polarised |
| Poland is a country polarised between supporters and opponents of Mr Kaczynski, says the BBC's Adam Easton in Warsaw. | Poland is a country polarised between supporters and opponents of Mr Kaczynski, says the BBC's Adam Easton in Warsaw. |
| The 58-year-old prime minister believes the state is broken and he is the first politician to try to mend it, he says. | The 58-year-old prime minister believes the state is broken and he is the first politician to try to mend it, he says. |
| I didn't like being talked down to for the last two years Jan ZawiszWarsaw voter class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7052539.stm">Purge overshadows vote class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7050322.stm">Voters hear Church's voice | |
| He has done this by giving extra power to anti-corruption agencies while purging former communists. | He has done this by giving extra power to anti-corruption agencies while purging former communists. |
| Mr Kaczynski has also promoted an assertive foreign policy and traditional Catholic values. | Mr Kaczynski has also promoted an assertive foreign policy and traditional Catholic values. |
| Among his supporters, Andrzej Sulkowski said he voted for Law and Justice "because this party is telling the truth and doing something". | Among his supporters, Andrzej Sulkowski said he voted for Law and Justice "because this party is telling the truth and doing something". |
| "In their two years of government they did what they could," he told the Associated Press news agency. | "In their two years of government they did what they could," he told the Associated Press news agency. |
| But Mr Kaczynski's policies and style are not to the taste of many better-off and well-educated city dwellers, who prefer the pro-business Civic Platform party of Donald Tusk. | But Mr Kaczynski's policies and style are not to the taste of many better-off and well-educated city dwellers, who prefer the pro-business Civic Platform party of Donald Tusk. |
| Mr Kaczynski believes Poland has not dealt with its communist past | Mr Kaczynski believes Poland has not dealt with its communist past |
| "I didn't like being talked down to for the last two years," Jan Zawisz, told Reuters news agency in Warsaw, as he voted for Mr Tusk's Platform. | "I didn't like being talked down to for the last two years," Jan Zawisz, told Reuters news agency in Warsaw, as he voted for Mr Tusk's Platform. |
| Another Tusk supporter, Adam Lutostanski, complained that the prime minister and his supporters were "too Church-oriented". | Another Tusk supporter, Adam Lutostanski, complained that the prime minister and his supporters were "too Church-oriented". |
| Disillusionment | Disillusionment |
| In the 18 years since the end of Communism, the country has had 12 different prime ministers. | In the 18 years since the end of Communism, the country has had 12 different prime ministers. |
| It is this instability which partly explains why people here have become so disillusioned with democratic politics so quickly, says our Warsaw correspondent. | It is this instability which partly explains why people here have become so disillusioned with democratic politics so quickly, says our Warsaw correspondent. |
| Donald Tusk wants lower taxes | Donald Tusk wants lower taxes |
| On Saturday, a leading Polish newspaper warned of low turnout and voter apathy. | On Saturday, a leading Polish newspaper warned of low turnout and voter apathy. |
| Much of the front page of the Gazeta Wyborcza was left blank, in a symbolic representation of the 60% of voters who failed to turn out for the parliamentary election two years ago. | Much of the front page of the Gazeta Wyborcza was left blank, in a symbolic representation of the 60% of voters who failed to turn out for the parliamentary election two years ago. |
| Polls opened at 0600 (0400 GMT), and were to close at 2000 (1800 GMT). | Polls opened at 0600 (0400 GMT), and were to close at 2000 (1800 GMT). |
| The first exit polls were due to be released at 2020. Full results may not be known until Monday or Tuesday. | The first exit polls were due to be released at 2020. Full results may not be known until Monday or Tuesday. |