Why do Poland’s local elections matter?

Poland is set to hold local elections, with the first round of voting taking place on 21 October, followed by a second round of voting on 4 November. Aleks Szczerbiak writes that the elections will be an important test of popularity for Poland’s government and opposition parties. Although the governing Law and Justice party is currently riding high in the polls, the vote could be problematic due to high expectations and a lack of coalition potential, coupled with media focus on mayoral contests in urban areas where Law and Justice are relatively weak.