Polish opposition warns of \'Polexit\' ahead of European vote

Polish opposition warns of 'Polexit' ahead of European vote

AFP  |  Warsaw 

A coalition of Polish opposition parties on Saturday launched its campaign for May's European elections by warning that the governing eurosceptic could drive the country out of the

has since backed out of some of the controversial legislation, but the opposition is still concerned that the PiS government's clash with could pave the way to a "Polexit".

"Either (we have) a strong, prosperous, democratic in a strong or what we have today - a party state - on the way to leaving the European Union," said Grzegorz Schetyna, of the liberal Civic Platform (PO), the largest of five opposition parties in the (KE).

"Either a that is one of the leaders of the West, or a drifting to the East," he said at a convention in launching the coalition's campaign ahead of the European vote to be held May 26 in Poland.

Poles are overwhelmingly EU-enthusiastic, with nearly 90 percent backing membership of the bloc that has given the country billions of euros in subsidies, turbo-charging its economic development.

Although the PiS has never called for Poland to leave the EU, it is pushing for a more decentralised bloc.

The elections to the will be a key test for all EU governments and especially so in Poland, where a is expected later this year.

Schetyna also laid out a series spending promises including higher spending on health and education and financial support for young employees.

He further vowed to combat Poland's problems with smog by limiting coal use. The populist PiS has focused its campaign on bread-and-butter issues like expanding its already generous social spending measures by vowing to increase a child allowance it launched after taking office in late 2015.

It made good on promises to boost pension benefits for seniors on Friday by voting through an extra annual payment.

The party also promised no income tax for employees under 26 years of age and lower income tax for pensioners.

An IBRIS poll published Friday put the PiS ahead with 39 per cent compared to 36.5 per cent support for the

Powerful PiS has long been a of the strong brand of EU federalism championed by EU powerhouses and

He is among a growing number of populist leaders in the EU advocating a reform agenda for the bloc that favours national sovereignty over federalism.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Sat, April 06 2019. 21:38 IST