Presidential candidates caught in mud-slinging match

The camps of the two enduring candidates in Poland’s presidential race fought a mud-slinging match on Thursday over tactics at street level.

Beata Szydło, chief of staff for opposition candidate Andrzej Duda, claimed that current head of state Bronisław Komorowski is unable to interact with ordinary people without the aid of a prompter.

Szydło cited as evidence a video of Komorowski talking with an agitated woman in a wheelchair who proceeded to harangue the president about insufficient benefits for disabled citizens.

Although Komorowski appeared calm, video footage indicated that he was being prompted on how to respond by a female assistant.

Referring to a separate incident, the president’s camp then accused opposition party Law and Justice of planting activists in public places where Komorowski was on walkabouts.

Civic Platform MP Jakub Rutnicki claimed that a young man who said he was compelled to find work abroad in Norway was actually sent to ask the president awkward questions by Law and Justice.

The second and final round of the presidential election will be held on 24 May.