Snap polls loom in Poland as coalition teeters

WARSAW, July 9 (Reuters) Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski today sacked his deputy and main coalition partner raising the prospect of early elections after just two years in power.

Kaczynski said he dismissed Andrzej Lepper, leader of the rural Self-Defence party, over an inquiry into corruption at the Farm Ministry Lepper headed until his dismissal.

''This case centres on a big bribe,'' he told a news conference after a crisis meeting of his ruling Law and Justice party. ''Mr Lepper is in the circle of suspicion.'' He called on Lepper's party to stay in the coalition despite its leader's exit, but said he was prepared to face the electorate in mid-term if his government lost its majority.

''A minority government would be completely ineffective,'' Kaczynski said. ''I am not afraid of elections.'' Lepper denied any wrongdoing and his party rallied behind him, deciding to leave the government. He said early elections were a likely scenario.

Opinion polls showed his party just behind the main opposition grouping, the Civic Platform, but political analysts say Kaczynski's well-oiled party machine could forge ahead in an aggressive election campaign.

Since its formation in 2005, Kaczynski's coalition with Self-Defence and a smaller nationalist party has lurched from crisis to crisis over issues ranging from fiscal discipline to abortion.

The two smaller parties, which used to oppose Poland's membership of the European Union entry, have been blocking some of Kaczynski's economic plans such as eventual introduction of the euro currency.

Kaczynski said it was not clear how soon elections could be held, but he could see his hand being forced.

The second biggest opposition party, the Democratic Left Alliance, said it would seek a vote of no confidence in the government to force a snap poll.

''Mr Kaczynski is ruling through crisis,'' its leader Wojciech Olejniczak said. ''Poles deserve better.'' Reuters SZ SBA VP0230