The leaders from Europe Plus, including former Polish president Aleksander Kwaśniewski, at a press conference in Warsaw. PAP/EPA/Jacek Turczyk
It’s been a tough few years for the Polish left on the polarized political scene, dominated by the ruling center-right Civic Platform and opposition right-wing Law and Justice. Newcomer to the arena, Europe Plus, seeks to put an end to two-party politics, bringing the entire left side of the political divide under one umbrella and running for the European Parliament.
Yet lofty plans have hit a deadlock before hitting full throttle.
"The leftist voters are in a quandary," said political scientist Michał Wenzel, from the Warsaw School of Social Sciences and Humanities.
"They have two parties that basically express the same ideas, and are run people of with the same politial past, so Europe Plus can only be successful if they can either eliminate the Democratic Left Alliance or maybe form a coalition with it,” said Wenzel.
Alicja Baczyńska reports.