Donald Tusk 42%

Robert Biedroń 23%

Paweł Kukiz 15%

Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz 6%

Katarzyna Lubnauer 4%

Grzegorz Schetyna 2%

The survey was conducted from April 27-29, 2018, on a sample of 1110 adult Poles. http://www.se.pl/wiadomosci/polityka/sondaz-se-i-sepl-jednak-tusk-liderem-opozycji_1052489.html

-- PATRYK JAKI ON WARSAW APPROPRIATED BY PO, NOVELTY AMENDMENT TO THE LAKES ACT ALREADY PROJECTED - 300LIVE: https://300polityka.pl/live/2018/05/04/

-- JAKUB MAJMUREK ON A DECK OF PIŞ-STYLE JOKERS THAT WILL SHAKE UP POLITICS: "However, let's remember that Jaki truly appears ready for a very tough fight for the capital, and further installments of the privatization scandal will certainly help him. Elections in the capital – due to Warsaw's political significance – can also change the most in Polish politics. If the left manages to agree and field a candidate capable of serious struggle (e.g., Jan Śpiewak), it could radically change its chances in the next elections – to the European and national parliaments. A good result for Trzaskowski will likely accelerate the generational change in Civic Platform. Jaki's victory could initiate disintegration processes within that party. Paradoxically, Jaki in the Warsaw City Hall is also a ridiculously risky scenario for the United Right camp. The Ziobro-Jaki duo, with the latter heading the capital, will simply be too strong for the existing balance within the ruling camp to be maintained. No matter how weak the deck of PiS candidates for mayors in large Polish cities may be, let's not be surprised when they stir things up considerably in national politics." https://opinie.wp.pl/jakub-majmurek-talia-pelna-jokerow-6247406556984961a

-- DUDA ATTACKED DUE TO COMPLEXES AND ENVY - writes Michał Karnowski: "I have a theory why Andrzej Duda is so furiously attacked by the Third Polish Republic camp, even when his political path is already more parallel to Law and Justice than purely PiS. It's about the simplest thing in the world: complexes and envy. Because the president they nominated, the beautiful and rich, had huge deficits in manners, class, and even knowledge of the Polish language. This one moves freely in world circles, represents the Republic with dignity. Because that other president quickly lost touch with ordinary Poles, and this one can go to any corner of the country with his head held high. And finally, the most important: that one saw the raison d'état in passivity and subservience to neighboring powers, this one sees the necessity of constantly increasing the strength of the Polish state. Independent strength."

-- KARNOWSKI ADMITS HE DISAGREED WITH THE PRESIDENT SEVERAL TIMES: "I disagreed seriously with the president several times, but that doesn't change this general assessment. Andrzej Duda stands on the side of the state's reformers, in this fundamental dispute between the pathologies of the Third Polish Republic and the hope for a better Poland, he is on the right side."

-- KARNOWSKI AGAINST COMPLACENCY AND KOMOROWSKI'S GOLDEN AGE: "President Andrzej Duda is right here: the testament of the Constitution of May 3rd is not passivity and subservience to neighboring powers, but action for the strength of the Polish state. Not self-satisfaction ('golden age' according to Komorowski), but constant anxiety that we are doing too little. Not expecting applause, but taking actions that are deemed necessary, even if they bring unpleasantness. And above all: reform effort, because only vain and foolish people can claim that the Republic of Poland is in an ideal state." https://wpolityce.pl/polityka/392787-to-prezydent-duda-dobrze-odczytuje-testament-konstytucji-3-maja-ona-byla-walka-o-reformy-przeciw-patologiom

-- FOR THE PRIVATIZATION MAFIA, THE CIVIC PLATFORM HAD TIME, BUT NOT FOR NURSERIES AND KINDERGARTENS - PATRYK JAKI IN SE: "Rafał Trzaskowski's Civic Platform has ruled the capital for 12 years. And as HGW's campaign manager, he bears special responsibility. This administration always had time for the privatization mafia, but not for nurseries and kindergartens. Same as for the bypass and further bridges. For 12 years? What were they doing?! With Rafał Trzaskowski, there's another problem. He doesn't understand local government. I was a councilor for two terms. And in local government, I want to solve specific problems of residents, not deal with ideology. His program is 12 years of PO rule in Warsaw. I would never want to copy that! Quite the opposite. And if my esteemed competitor talks about nurseries and solving the problems of Varsovians, I ask why they didn't solve them for 12 years? Is 12 years not enough time?! How much do they need? Maybe 48 years?"

-- JAKI DRAWS A DISTINCTION BETWEEN A PRAGMATIC CITY AND TRZASKOWSKI'S IDEOLOGIZED VISION: "I will simply be myself. And there should be no ideology in local government. This is the difference between me and Rafał Trzaskowski. I want a pragmatic city for everyone; he wants an ideologized one." http://www.se.pl/wiadomosci/opinie/jaki-dla-se-mieli-czas-na-reprywatyzacje-nie-mieli-na-zobki_1052488.html

-- I AM NOT ENTANGLED IN LOCAL FACTIONS - Kacper Płażyński tells Onet: "I am a young lawyer, I worked in reputable law firms in the Tricity. I think that through my social engagement over the last two years, I have proven that I can be uncompromising on the one hand and effective in helping residents on the other. What distinguishes me from the current mayor is the fact that I am not entangled in local factions."

-- TO MAKE LIFE EASIER FOR ALL RESIDENTS, NOT THOSE CLOSE TO ADAMOWICZ - SAYS PŁAŻYŃSKI: "I intend to stand up for those people whom no authority in Gdańsk has stood up for in the last 20 years. I am committed to siding with residents in their often unequal struggle against very large interest groups and often dishonest officials. Political leaders should be there to make life easier for all residents, not just those chosen from the immediate circle of the current mayor." https://trojmiasto.onet.pl/kacper-plazynski-prezydent-adamowicz-jest-uwiklany-w-lokalne-uklady-ja-tego-bagazu/4d5472m

-- FIVE ONLINE EDITIONS WITH DIFFERENT VIEWS LAUNCH THE SPIĘCIE PROJECT: "The Jagiellonian Club, Kontakt Magazine, Political Critique, Liberal Culture, and Nowa Konfederacja will select a new topic for discussion every few weeks, and five texts produced within its framework will be published simultaneously on all five portals. The effort of conversation carries the hope of recreating the social fabric that has been so lacking recently." http://jagiellonski24.pl/2018/05/03/piec-redakcji-o-roznych-pogladach-inauguruje-projekt-spiecie/

-- ROMAN GRACZYK BELIEVES DEFEATING PiS IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE: "Naturally, the opposition still has a lot of work ahead. But this situation shows that defeating PiS in a fair election is not impossible. This raises the question of whether the current institutional environment (changes in electoral law, intrusive pro-government propaganda in 'public media', and a few other things) allows for fair elections. I have serious doubts about this, but I will write about it another time." http://fakty.interia.pl/opinie/graczyk/news-czy-pis-moze-przegrac,nId,2576727

-- WITOLD JURASZ REMEMBERS HOW SIKORSKI TOLD HIM TO TAKE OFF HIS EAGLE: "Diplomats from many countries wear miniature coats of arms, and sometimes flags of their countries, on their lapels. When I worked in Moscow, the French and Americans wore miniature flags, the Hungarians, coats of arms. One day, while heading the Polish Embassy in Belarus, on vacation in Poland, I noticed a stand of the State Mint in Empik. Among many collector's coins, there was also a silver-plated eagle. I bought 50 pieces and gave them to each of the embassy employees. Shortly thereafter, I was informed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that I was violating the dress code, which – to my astonishment – prohibited wearing an eagle on the lapel. Many years later, I described the above story on Facebook. Radosław Sikorski then publicly accused me of lying, claiming that such a ban was never issued. Only a scan of an order issued by the Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, appointed by R. Sikorski, convinced him that he had hastily accused me of lying and engaging in PiS propaganda. When I was submitting my clearance form at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, an overzealous official (there are always plenty of those) also told me to take off my eagle." https://www.reo.pl/witold-jurasz-orzel-w-klapie-i-w-sercu/

-- POLITYKA ON LOT: WILL MILCZARSKI UNDERSTAND THAT ESCALATION CAN SERIOUSLY THREATEN THE AIRLINE: "Michael O’Leary, the equally radical and free-market CEO of Ryanair, faced the airline's first-ever threat of mass strikes last year. He understood that he had to back down, acknowledged the existence of unions, announced a departure from civil law contracts, and an improvement in employment conditions. The question is whether Milczarski is also capable of understanding that escalation can seriously threaten the airline's condition. And whether, firstly, he will want to return to negotiations, and secondly, whether the trade unionists will agree to resume them without a change of CEO." https://www.polityka.pl/tygodnikpolityka/rynek/1747434,1,w-locie-wojna-to-grozne-dla-pasazerow-i-gospodarki.read

-- GUARDIAN OF THE CONSTITUTION WANTED - Paweł Wroński in GW: "Unfortunately, you have not fulfilled your role as guardian of the constitution. You participated in the demolition and ridicule of the institution that rules on the constitutionality of legal acts – the Constitutional Tribunal. Partly because of you, Poland is spoken of as a country of failing democracy. This is all the more painful because in 1980 and 1989, thanks to 'Solidarity,' Poland was a 'beacon of freedom' for the world."

-- NEITHER HOT NOR COLD - Wroński on the referendum: "The referendum project is another maneuver within the ruling camp, which leaves the majority of society neither hot nor cold. It lacks the element of responsibility – the most important factor that separates serious politics from unserious politics." http://wyborcza.pl/7,75398,23353205,panie-prezydencie-polacy-przede-wszystkim-zasluguja-by-obecna.html

-- TOMASZ PIETRYGA ON THE REFERENDUM - writes in RZ: "The matter remains open, but even if sufficient public support is not built, it will be difficult to speak of the president's defeat. Such a political defeat could be the non-enactment of the promised law for francophone loan holders, not fundamental changes which, by their nature, require broad socio-political consensus, which will never be the result of one person's will." http://www.rp.pl/Opinie/305039962-Proba-konstytucyjna---komentuje-Tomasz-Pietryga.html

-- A DECREASE IN EMOTIONS IS IMMINENT - Tomasz Bielecki in GW: "Rather, a decrease in temperature is imminent. Czaputowicz said that the goal of the talks is to end the proceedings under Article 7. Although, according to our sources in Brussels, a significant achievement would be the suspension of these proceedings in May or June, Poland, as part of a settlement, would agree to further monitoring of the 'cumulative effect' of judicial changes in recent years on the rule of law. The Commission still demands, among other things, the non-shortening of the term of office of the First President of the Supreme Court and the resignation from the early retirement of Supreme Court judges. Other compromise proposals from the Commission are also on the negotiating table, which we have not been able to ascertain." http://wyborcza.pl/7,75399,23353798,polska-znow-troche-ustepuje-brukseli.html

-- A HEFTY BILL FOR VIOLATING DEMOCRACY - GW front page.

-- SUCH RULE OF LAW, SUCH A BUDGET - Witold Gadomski in GW: "For PiS, the Commission's proposal will be a much bigger problem. On the one hand, some politicians – perhaps including the Prime Minister – will emphasize the will for compromise, the desire to change the adopted laws threatening judicial independence, acceptance of EU climate policy, a more flexible stance towards accepting immigrants. On the other hand, the PiS hawks may consider that Brussels is providing a pretext for Polexit. They will go to the elections under the banner of defending independence from the dictates of the EU, they will whip up nationalist hysteria, and speak of a Catholic Poland being a bulwark against European nihilism."

-- HOW KACZYŃSKI SUFFERS - Fakt front page:"The health of the Law and Justice party leader is not great. Jarosław Kaczyński's bad knee is bothering him so much that he is forced to walk with crutches. Health problems are not new for the PiS leader. Now that we have irrefutable proof that Kaczyński has serious trouble walking, can we expect him to slow down a bit?" https://www.fakt.pl/wydarzenia/polityka/tylko-w-fakt24-jaroslaw-kaczynski-o-kulach/ky2xks9

-- MICHAŁ SUTOWSKI POLEMIZES WITH THE PESSIMISTIC VISION OF JAN SOWA REGARDING THE NEW LEFT: "Perhaps – alongside the Krakow conservatives – Sowa also maintains contact with the Spirit of the Times, and it is this Spirit that has suggested to him that in Poland today, only 3 percent of people are willing to support a progressive party both economically and culturally. Again, philosophers (especially continental ones) do not always care about empirical evidence, but it is worth recalling that in 2015, both Razem and Zjednoczona Lewica had quite progressive ('liberal-left') programs. Together, they received 11 percent of the votes – without the bonus for unity, with the memory of Magdalena O.'s disgrace on the one hand and low recognition on the other." http://krytykapolityczna.pl/felietony/michal-sutowski/krakowskim-defetystom-mowimy-stanowcze-nie/

-- GW ON THE PROBLEMS OF SHOPPING CENTERS: "This autumn and winter, shopping centers will tempt customers with events instead of shopping. Concerts, events for children, sports tournaments, etc., are planned. As strange as it may sound – this is a consequence of PiS policy." http://wyborcza.pl/7,155287,23342870,centra-handlowe-maja-klopoty-cierpia-przez-zakaz-handlu-w-niedziele.html

-- ANNA GODZWON IN A MOVING CONVERSATION WITH RIGAMONTI X 2 ABOUT THE VICTORIOUS FIGHT AGAINST ALCOHOL ADDICTION: http://www.gazetaprawna.pl/artykuly/1121369,anna-godzwon-o-alkoholizmie-wywiad-rigamonti.html

-- BIRTHDAYS: Wojciech Mucha, Ryszard Zbrzyzny, Redbad Klynstra-Komarnicki, Bartosz Zbroja, Grzegorz, Andrzej Kania, Andrzej Bober.