Presidential contenders not to organise large campaign meetings due to coronavirus spread

Worldwide coronavirus spread map (updated March 10)

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Polish President Andrzej Duda has said he will not organise large campaign meetings in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus, raising questions over how the outbreak could affect the election due in May.

The presidential vote will decide whether the ruling nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party can fully implement its agenda, including a further overhaul of the judiciary that has put it at loggerheads with Brussels, as the president can veto laws.

Duda is a PiS ally and is ahead in the polls, consistently scoring over 40%. If no candidate scores more than 50% in the first round there will be a runoff vote, which most polls show Duda narrowly winning against any opposition candidate.

His announcement late on Monday came before PiS Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Tuesday all mass events in the country would be cancelled due to the outbreak.

"I have made the decision that I will not organise large meetings in connection with my presidential campaign, because these are meetings that hundreds of people come to," state news agency PAP quoted Duda as saying.

"It seems to me that the risk that this may lead to the spread of coronavirus is too great."

Top rival follows suit

The opposition's leading candidate Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska said on Twitter that she too was putting big rallies on hold.

Poland said on Monday that it would introduce checks on its borders in an attempt to stop the spread of the virus.

Authorities in the western city of Poznań said on Tuesday they were recommending that all schools close as of Wednesday, while Education Minister Dariusz Piontkowski said further school closures could be considered.

The first coronavirus case in Poznań, in a middle-aged woman in a serious condition, was reported on Monday. The deputy major was quoted by PAP saying it was better to act sooner than later with the decision to close the schools.

As of Tuesday afternoon (March 10) the country of 38 million people has reported 20 cases of coronavirus. No one has died from the virus in Poland.