Poland’s Supreme Court on Monday upheld the results of President Andrzej Duda’s narrow victory in presidential elections last month, the country’s closest contest since the fall of communism in 1989, a decision that clears the path for the country’s conservative Law and Justice party to continue in power. Thousands of supporters of the opposition candidate and rights groups had filed legal challenges in the country’s highest court demanding the election be reassessed after Mr. Duda edged out Rafal Trzaskowski, the opposition candidate and the liberal mayor of Warsaw. Mr. Duda secured 51.03 percent of the vote, while Mr. Trzaskowski won 48.97 percent, in a mid-July runoff. Opponents of Mr. Duda pointed out to many irregularities during the campaign and during the election, including pushing forward with the vote despite the coronavirus pandemic, limited access to the vote for Poles abroad, and the role of the public media and government officials in the campaign. The court’s decision was not a surprise in light of sweeping changes to the country’s judicial system introduced by the governing party, moves that drew widespread condemnation from the European Union and international human rights organizations, as well as from Poland’s opposition and some of its judges.

Source: International New York Times August 03, 2020 11:15 UTC