Investing.com -- The first round of the Polish presidential election, which took place on Sunday, saw the liberal pro-European Union (EU) candidate, Rafał Trzaskowski, leading with 31.4% of votes.
Trzaskowski, who is a member of the ruling coalition, narrowly surpassed the nationalist opposition party (PiS) candidate, Karol Nawrocki, who secured 29.5% of the votes. This margin was notably smaller than what the polls had predicted, indicating a close run-off set for 1st June.
The president in Poland possesses the power to veto legislation proposed by the government. The current PiS president has used this authority to halt the government’s attempts to reform the judiciary and enhance the rule of law.
A win for Trzaskowski in the second round could eliminate this significant hurdle, enabling the ruling coalition to address the EU’s concerns regarding the rule of law and repair strained relations with Brussels.
In light of the upcoming second round, there is a potential risk of the government announcing fiscal incentives to garner support for Trzaskowski.
Poland’s budget deficit stands at 6.6% of its GDP, which, while not as large as Romania’s, could still pose a concern given the country’s need for fiscal consolidation.
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