"Of course, I will run in the presidential election," he said at a public meeting on Wednesday afternoon, marking the first time he declared that he was officially in the race.
Earlier in the day, Poland’s lower-house Speaker, Elżbieta Witek, announced that the presidential elections would take place on May 10, with a potential second round scheduled for May 24.
During a meeting with voters in the eastern town of Lubartów, Duda, who is an ally of Poland’s ruling conservatives, said he wanted to help the country’s right-wing government "to continue its mission" of bringing positive change to the country, Poland’s PAP news agency reported.
He praised the government of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and declared that, if elected for a second term, he would sign into effect "every well-prepared piece of legislation aiming to support the public and the country's development," the PAP news agency said.
Duda is Poland's most trusted politician, according to the latest monthly survey by pollster CBOS, and the favourite to win May's election, according to a survey carried out at the end of January by pollster Kantar for private broadcaster TVN.
His contenders in the presidential race include centrist Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska; middle-of-the-road politician Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, leader of the rural-based Polish People’s Party (PSL); leftist Robert Biedroń; far-right hopeful Krzysztof Bosak; and celebrity journalist Szymon Hołownia.
Donald Tusk, a former Polish prime minister, in November put an end to months of speculation that he might make a bid for the presidency in 2020.
(gs/pk)
Source: PAP