Nearly 60 percent of Poles claim that their financial situation has worsened over the past year, according to the latest IBRiS survey for Poilsh newspaper Rzeczpospolita, as cited by the Salon24 news portal.
Young people and people of pre-retirement age say their situation is the worst, a serious warning signal for all candidates ahead of the first round of presidential elections in May.
In the IBRiS study, respondents were asked how they assess their financial situation compared to the previous year. Some 57.5 percent of respondents believe that their living conditions have worsened, meaning nearly six out of ten Poles consider themselves poorer than a year ago.
Meanwhile, 29.8 percent do not notice any changes, and only 9.3 percent of respondents see any improvement in their situation.
The greatest dissatisfaction is visible in two age groups: As many as 82 percent of people aged 18-29 say that their lives are worse, while 85 percent of people aged 50-59 also feel that their financial situation has worsened.
Those over the age of 70 constituted the most optimistic age group, with only 19 percent of respondents believing that their situation has worsened.
The deterioration of living conditions is noticed primarily by rural residents (67 percent), but also by more than half of residents of small and large cities (55 percent each).
In terms of party affiliation, 93 percent of PiS voters from 2023 believe that their lives are worse; among KO voters, only 19 percent see a deterioration and 57 percent claim that their situation has not changed.
As noted by IBRiS president Marcin Duma, the survey results contrast strongly with the data out of the Centre for Public Opinion Research (CBOS) and Statistics Poland (GUS), which indicated an improvement in consumer sentiment.
“Even good economic data may not reflect the real emotions of Poles,” says Duma. In his opinion, the survey is a serious warning signal for the government, because negative social sentiment may have political consequences.
Another recent survey reported on by Remix News indicated that most Poles believe that their lives were easier under the rule of Law and Justice (PiS).
