WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A pro-European opposition coalition in Poland has announced unexpectedly that its candidate for prime minister as the country heads toward an October election will be the deputy parliamentary speaker.

The candidacy of Malgorzata Kidawa-Blonska was announced Tuesday by Grzegorz Schetyna, the leader of Civic Platform, which is the largest party in European Coalition.

It was long assumed Schetyna himself would be the opposition coalition's pick for prime minister. But as the centrist bloc trails far behind the nationalist conservative ruling Law and Justice party, it appears to be an acknowledgement that Schetyna's lack of popularity is hurting its chances.

Despite a string of scandals, Law and Justice has been rising in the polls thanks to popular social spending measures and a conservative outlook appreciated in rural areas.