Poland will hold presidential elections on May 18, said the speaker of the parliament who will be running for the election

WARSAW, Poland (AP) – The head of Poland’s parliament said Wednesday that the country’s presidential election will be held on May 18, with a second one on June 1 if needed.

The election will decide whether the Cabinet of the Prime Minister of the European Union Donald Tusk will find an assistant in the presidential palace during a difficult time in Poland and Europe.

Right-wing President Andrzej Duda disagrees with the government, obstructing the law and expressing highly critical views. He will step down in August, ending his second five-year term. He cannot seek another term, according to the Polish constitution.

Szymon Holownia, the powerful speaker of the lower house of parliament, or Sejm, has announced that he will run for president as head of Poland 2050, a party within the ruling coalition.

He said he announces the election date early in the political calendar to give enough time for the processes and campaigning.

The ruling party, the Civic Coalition, has chosen Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski as its presidential candidate. Tusk, the leader of this group and former head of the European Union, chose to stay in his government seat.

The opposition party, Law and Justice, is supporting historian Karol Nawrocki in the election. Nawrocki, now head of the national history center, has been a controversial figure. Recent media reports allege that Nawrocki had ties to hard-line gangs and acquaintances in criminal circles. Nawrocki denies these allegations.

Law and Justice was kicked out of the 2023 general election after eight years of tumultuous, euro-skeptic rule. Duda came to the party and was his colleague.

The right-wing leader, Slawomir Mentzen, is running for the Konfederacja (Confederation) party.