The leader of the Civic Coalition (KO) party, the main opposition grouping in Poland, Donald Tusk, has called for a major demonstration in Warsaw dubbed the "Million Hearts March" on Sunday. The rally is expected to bring tens of thousands onto Warsaw’s streets. Participants will gather at Rondo Romana Dmowskiego around noon before marching to Rondo Radoslaw in the Polish capital. The march route includes Marszalkowska Street, Swietokrzyska Street, and Jana Pawla II Avenue, the state news agency PAP reports.
Rafał Trzaskowski, the Warsaw mayor and a senior member of Poland’s political opposition, has appealed to Poles to join a march to show their belief in victory in the upcoming general election.
"We invite everyone to the 'March of a Million Hearts' this coming Sunday. We want to show full mobilization, we want to show our belief in victory. Let's be together in Warsaw that day," he said.
The opposition hopes the march will have a similar effect to the one in June, in which an estimated 500,000 people came onto the streets of the capital, galvanized support for the opposition, and kicked off the campaign in earnest, writes the Guardian.
Donald Tusk believes the "march of a million hearts" will show strength before the vote on 15 October. “All those who want a better Poland will show up. Someone will say it’s a slogan, but everyone who has Poland in their hearts should want to show that they believe and have the strength," said Tusk, in an interview aired on the Polish station TVN on Saturday.
"It will be one of the biggest manifestations in recent years in Europe. It will be one of the biggest events in Polish politics since regaining independence,” the former European Council president added.
Poland goes to the polls on October 15 for elections for both houses of parliament.
(aj)
SOURCE: PAP; The Guardian; TVN; IAR; thefirstnews.com