S&P expects Poland's deficit to rise ahead of 2019 elections

WARSAW, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Poland's deficit is likely to rise ahead of parliamentary elections next year, but will not exceed 2 percent of gross domestic product, an analyst for S&P Global Ratings said Monday.

"We are predicting some widening in deficit due to a very busy electoral period. We still believe the government will keep the deficit inside the 2 percent of GDP," Frank Gill, S&P's lead analyst for Poland told reporters.

Poland held regional elections on Sunday and exit polls showed that Poland's ruling eurosceptic Law and Justice (PiS) scored limited gains in regional government, but lost a high-profile race for Warsaw mayor.

Poland also faces general election next year and presidential election in 2020.

(Reporting by Alicja Ptak; Writing by Agnieszka Barteczko)