Polish opposition holds massive rally prior to tight election

TEHRAN, Oct. 01 (MNA) – People held an opposition rally in Warsaw on Sunday, two weeks ahead of an election that the liberal Civic Platform says may decide Poland's future in the European Union and its democratic standing, news outlets reported.

Opinion polls suggest the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) government could win the vote but may struggle to form a majority amid discontent among some over rising living costs and concern over an erosion of democratic checks and balances, Reuters reported.

Warsaw city authorities said about a million people attended in the capital's biggest rally on record. Public broadcaster TVP, which independent media observers say has become a government mouthpiece under PiS rule, quoted police saying about 100,000 people had joined.

Online news channel onet.pl said that according to its calculations some 600,000-800,000 people attended the rally.

TM/PR

News ID 206655