Thousands protest Polish president's re-election bid

Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski on the campaign trail with wife Jolante

WARSAW, Poland (Reuters) -- Thousands of demonstrators have marched in Warsaw to protest against ex-communist President Aleksander Kwasniewski's bid for re-election in polls to be held on Sunday.

Police said about 10,000 people joined the march, organised by supporters of rival Marian Krzaklewski.

Marchers denounced the president's veto of a bill, sponsored last month by right-wingers, which offered all Poles a chunk of state assets.

Kwasniewski, a former communist turned Social Democrat, said the bill would cause economic chaos.

The so-called enfranchisement bill is the main campaign ticket of Krzaklewski, leader of the ruling Solidarity bloc (AWS), which has cohabited uneasily with Kwasniewski for the past three years.

The bill would have offered tenants of municipal and cooperative flats full ownership rights to their homes, and given other Poles shares in companies to be privatised.

Opinion polls show Kwasniewski is set to win a second five-year term in Sunday's election, with the support of more than 50 percent of Poles. Krzaklewski's support is running at 12 percent.

Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Polish anti-communist court clears Walesa to run for presidency
August 11, 2000
Polish president cleared of secret police links
August 10, 2000
Poland pins future on former communist
Nov. 20, 1995

Poland - official website

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.