Presidential candidates attend TV debate

Presidential candidates Bronisław Komorowski and Andrzej Duda faced each other on Sunday in a TV debate to present their plans for the presidential office.

The debate which was held on Sunday, a week before the second round of the presidential election on 24 May, was moderated by two journalists from broadcasters TVP and Polsat respectively.

In one section, each candidate had 90 seconds to discuss a question posed by each of the two journalists.
The topics covered:

“Poland/Poland war”

Komorowski: It is easy to talk about an agreement, it is much harder to implement it. Poles need agreement. […] It is important to set policy into practice, not theorise. […] Your party [Duda’s PiS, Law and Justice – ed.] is the only one who did not want to take part in the security of the state.
Duda: In no way should we divide Polish society. There is no Polish radicalism, no Polish rationalism. We all live in one nation, for which our fathers shed their blood.

Unemployment and labour issues:

Komorowski: Unemployment leads to a lack of prospects, and hence a source of unhappiness. So it’s important to continue the process that [my presidency] has already started. 100,000 jobs is not a theory, it’s practice. That is an example of [our] achievements. 100,000 young people will have a guaranteed job next year. The largest number of Poles emigrated during the PiS government. Now, it is eight times lower than during your [Duda’s] government.

Duda: I visited more than 240 cities. At every meeting I heard that young people do not see opportunities for themselves [in Poland] and leave. […] PO promises miracles, a flat tax and Ireland. Young people are emigrating to the real green island.

Pension issues:

Komorowski: Fortunately, I can already talk about what has been done. What we have saved Poland from. […] The team behind Andrzej Duda wanted to go back to an older pension reform system, which would have resulted in lower pensions.

Duda: Ordinary people whom I spoke to said that they do not want to work they die. Because they are currently working beyond their capabilities. […] I am a person who seeks consensus on this matter. […] If the nation demands lowering the retirement age, then so be it.

One on one

Towards the end of the debate, the two candidates asked each other questions. Each had some three minutes to answer a question by the other.

The discussion ranged from IVF policy, history (the Jedwabne pogrom) and radical politics.