Poland may hold early elections in fall

Poland may have to hold early parliamentary elections this fall if a populist party leaves the ruling pro-government coalition, the Polish prime minister said Tuesday.

The dismissal of Andrzej Lepper, Polish deputy prime minister and agriculture minister, and the prospect of the withdrawal of the Self Defense party from the coalition has triggered a government crisis.

"The parliamentary elections are unlikely to be held until the fall," Jaroslaw Kaczynski said in an interview with Polish radio.

Polish President Lech Kaczynski dismissed Lepper Monday night, government spokesman Jan Dziedziczak said Tuesday.

Following the dismissal, Lepper`s Self Defense party, whose parliamentary faction is ranked fourth for the number of MPs - 46 out of 460 - made a decision to leave the coalition. Self Defense holds second place in the Cabinet for the number of posts it holds.

"Self Defense is leaving the coalition following a decision by the party`s board," said Krzysztof Sikora, acting chairman of the party`s faction in the parliament.

Speaking live on TVN24 Lepper said: "The dismissal is an end to [the ruling government] coalition."

Poland`s public television channel TVP1 said Lepper was dismissed following an investigation by the country`s Central Anticorruption Bureau. The official`s two aides were arrested.

The Self Defense party has been criticizing the government and insisting that the planned deployment of U.S. missile defense units be put to a referendum. Lepper also proposed considering the resumption of Polish meat exports to Russia bilaterally without any third parties.

Kaczynski`s government holds the opposite opinion of both problems.

Poland`s opposition party SLD, the country`s third for the number of seats in the parliament, has already called for dissolution. SLD leader Wojciech Olejniczak said his party would submit proposals Tuesday to dissolve the parliament and call snap elections in August or September.

The Web site of Poland`s daily Wprost also said early parliamentary elections could be held in September.

The Polish president already dismissed Lepper in September 2006. After almost a month-long crisis Lepper was reappointed deputy prime minister and agriculture minister.

sections: Politics, World News