Poland’s Health Minister: ‘Delay Elections Till 2022 Over Coronavirus’
by Stefan Bos, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – Poland’s health minister risked the anger of other government officials by suggesting to delay next month’s presidential elections until 2022 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Minister Lukasz Szumowski, who is also a cardiologist, said Friday that postponing the vote is “the only safe option” as the virus disease COVID-19 spreads across the nation.
“One option would be to put this whole issue on hold for two years and really deal with the epidemic. I think that’s the best option and I recommend it,” the minister told Poland’s Polsat commercial television.
The government has refused to postpone the May 10 ballot, despite pressure to do so from the public, opposition, medical workers, and even allies and members of the governing conservative party. It wants to hold a postal ballot, despite warnings by critics that this could lead to election fraud.
The governing Law and Justice (PiS) party backs President Andrzej Duda, who is their ally and running for reelection. Commentators claim Duda would win now in this nation of roughly 38 million people.
But he could struggle at a later date, as the economy is expected to suffer under a month-long lockdown with businesses shut and Poles confined to their homes, analysts warn.
Authorities say the measures are needed to halt the pandemic in what is Eastern Europe’s largest economy within the European Union. The latest figures showed Friday that Poland has nearly 11,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and almost 500 deaths linked to the disease.
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