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| - From a former trainee friar to a rabble-rousing eurosceptic to a gay rights trailblazer, the 11 candidates in Poland's presidential election on Sunday are a varied bunch. President Andrzej Duda, who is backed by the right-wing government, faces his main challenge in the form of liberal opposition contender Rafal Trzaskowski. Below are profiles of four of the other candidates: A journalist-turned-celebrity, Szymon Holownia became a household name as a co-host of the popular Polish edition of the "Got Talent!" TV show franchise. Capitalising on his fame, he left to make his political debut in this year's presidential race. An independent who presents himself as a progressive Catholic, Holownia shot to third spot in the polls buoyed by voters seeking alternatives on Poland's polarised political scene, split between the governing populists and opposition liberals. While not expected to win, analysts suggest Holownia, 43, will cash in political capital earned on the campaign trail to launch a party targeting young centre-right voters disillusioned with the status quo. He is a keen supporter of Poland's membership of the European Union and the NATO Western defence alliance. A humanitarian known for his charity work in Africa, Holownia is also vegetarian and an animal rights activist. He trained to become a Dominican friar before taking up journalism. He is married to Urszula Brzezinska-Holownia, a MIG-29 jet fighter pilot in the Polish airforce. A physician who hails from a family with deep roots in the countryside, Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz leads the Polish People's Party (PSL), a small, centre-right farmers' party with a knack for forging coalitions across the political spectrum. Considered a serious contender in the early days of the presidential race, Kosiniak-Kamysz, 38, has slipped to fourth spot. Analysts maintain that his base of conservative, rural voters have been drained by incumbent President Andrzej Duda, who is seen as both a conservative and a guarantor of the generous social spending drive of the populist Law and Justice (PiS) government. Despite high voter support for Poland's membership of the European Union, far-right candidate Krzysztof Bosak is one of the country's few politicians to advocate quitting the bloc. The deputy leader of the marginal Confederation Liberty and Independence parliamentary party, Bosak wants to bring back the death penalty, rules out equal right for gay people and opposes compensation for some Jewish property claims dating back to World War II. A former gymnast with an interest in windsurfing, surveys show the 38-year-old Bosak, who is an economic libertarian, is fifth in the race. An ardent advocate of LGBTQ rights who wants Catholic Poland to recognise same-sex unions, Robert Biedron is Poland's first openly gay presidential candidate. He became the first openly gay member of parliament in 2011 before being elected mayor of the northern town of Slupsk three years later. An atheist with a background in political science, Biedron is a polyglot who speaks English, French, Italian, Russian and even Esperanto. He founded the Wiosna (Spring) left-wing party and was elected an MEP in 2019. Backed by the Lewica (Left) alliance of parties, he is a staunch defender of women's rights, the rule of law and the separation of church and state. Biedron is among the most outspoken critics of President Andrzej Duda for his use of anti-gay rhetoric on the campaign trail. Despite the initial promise of his presidential bid, Biedron is sixth in the race. mas/dt/bsp
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