Our editorial after the first round of the presidential elections:

In the first round of elections on Sunday there were few surprises, save a slightly better-than-expected showing by leftist candidate Grzegorz Napieralski. The end result was more or less what was expected – Law and Justice party leader Jarosław Kaczyński and Sejm Speaker Bronisław Komorowski will go head-to-head in a July 4 runoff, with neither having received an outright majority.

Focus on the issues, please

Perhaps now we can get down to a genuine debate of the issues, as the campaign so far has been less than substantive. Though it was admirable that the candidates – at least at the beginning – strove to avoid sharp rhetoric during such a sensitive period for the country, what voters got was a paucity of concretes. That must change in the next two weeks if Poles are to make an informed decision.

In the run-up to Sunday’s polls, the two main candidates squabbled over the topic of a possible debate. Mr Kaczyński wanted it to focus solely on the future of Poland’s health system, whereas Mr Komorowski wanted a debate on a range of issues. In the end, the two never gave voters a chance to see them spar.

But Poland deserves a debate between its two main candidates, one of whom will wield the power of the veto for the next five years. As was proven by Lech Kaczyński’s presidency, that power can be used to significant advantage.

Whether several debates are held, each focusing on a different issue or set of issues, or whether it’s a single debate covering the gamut of topics, Mr Kaczyński and Mr Komorowski must define their stances. The Presidential Palace is too important for voters to accept further vagueness from its would-be residents.

A crucial period

The political decisions made over the next five years will be critical to Poland’s development – pervasive poverty must be tackled and living standards brought closer to that of Western Europe.

Difficult decisions will have to be made when it comes to pensions and early retirement – will Poles opt for slower economic growth and high deficits, or will they accept an increase in the retirement age? Neither option is politically popular. Where will the president stand?

Then there is the euro. While the chances of Poland entering the euro zone within the next five years look shaky at best, the question of whether it will enter in the next decade will depend on actions taken by today’s politicians. If Poland has a euroskeptic president, he could make life difficult for a government looking to adopt the euro as soon as possible.

Much to prove

As this newspaper has opined previously, Mr Komorowski would likely come down on the right side of these issues, while Mr Kaczyński could make it very difficult for the government to enact legislation that would move Poland forward. If the polls to date are any indication, Speaker Komorowski should win the second round, barring any major gaffes.

But he has far from shined in this campaign. If he finally makes a solid case for his presidency, he could unite a significant bloc of voters behind his policies; many of his supporters currently back him as the lesser of two evils.

There are good reasons to vote for Mr Komorowski. He must now make clear exactly what those are.

On the other hand, Mr Kaczyński has the opportunity to show that he has really moved to the center – if that is indeed the case. While his party and the media have tended to echo this theory, the reality is that he seems less divisive mostly because he has said so little. A substantive debate would give voters a clearer idea as to whether he has really changed his tune.

Too much to expect?

Unfortunately, there’s little chance of this happening. A debate will probably be held, but the candidates will likely just trade platitudes. Mr Komorowski will not want to risk his lead by putting down too concrete a position, while Mr Kaczyński knows his best chance at seeming centrist will be to keep quiet.

If the candidates do disappoint, it would be a tragedy for Polish voters. With so much at stake, they deserve to know who will be leading them.