POLAND:Polish politicians have begun campaigning for next month's snap election with a mixture of trepidation and relief. After voting on Friday to dissolve parliament two years early, MPs are facing an uncertain election outcome but can hope at least for an end to two years of constant political intrigue.
"It was like a permanent election campaign with even sensible laws going nowhere because of party politics, it had to end," said Aleksandra Natalli-Swiat, a lead- ing MP with the national conservative party, Law and Justice (PiS).
Her party leader, prime minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, kicked off his party's election campaign by suggesting he is open to ruling with the leading opposition party, the liberal Civic Platform (PO).
Currently neck-and-neck in opinion polls, PiS slipped past PO to win the 2005 election.
Their failed coalition talks forced Mr Kaczynski into a three-way coalition with populists, the left-wing Self Defence farmers' party and the far-right, ultra-Catholic League of Polish Families.
That government fell apart last month amid allegations of corruption and political witch-hunts.
"Let's not return to the difficult - although in many respects - useful past. I've already put that experience behind me," said Mr Kaczynski to Polish radio.
Asked if he could envisage ruling with the PO, he replied: "We shall see."
Mr Kaczynski kicked off his campaign at the weekend with rallies in eastern Poland, calling for a fresh mandate to continue the campaign against what he sees as a "grey network" of Poland's corrupt post-communist elite.
He has also promised to spend an extra €920 million on the country's creaking health system, increase the minimum wage and boost tax relief for families and farmers.
Those promises are popular in the economically weaker east, already a stronghold of PiS support, and could help Mr Kaczynski win over voters from Self Defence and the League of Polish Families. Both parties face a fight for enough votes to enter the next parliament.
Mr Kaczynski's generous promises pose a problem too for the opposition Civic Platform. It favours fiscal discipline and liberal policies to boost business and the economy.
Already economists have warned that the promises, if implemented, will swell Poland's budget deficit and force the postponement of plans to adopt the euro.
Rather than risk constant battles with PiS on spending once in office, PO leader Donald Tusk could opt for a coalition with the left-wing alliance (LS).
But support for the left alliance varies significantly in polls, from 9 to 13 per cent, and, for Mr Tusk, the alliance has another inherent problem weak spot: it is headed by former president Aleksander Kwasniewski, an ex-communist.
"Mr Kaczynski is trying to corner the PO, to give the impression that they will betray the Solidarity movement by getting into bed with the ex-communists," said Piotr Kaczynski, research fellow at the Centre for European Policy Studies in Brussels.
"But both PiS and PO will be reaching out to each other too in the campaign. At this stage, anything is possible."
