Poland’s parliament has elected Donald Tusk, leader of the centrist party, as prime minister after eight years of turbulent conservative rule.
E-Donald Tusk, the leader of a centrist party, returned as Poland’s prime minister almost a decade after the stormy nationalist struggle, bringing a promise of a well-defined path for a new pro-European coalition government after eight years of tumultuous nationalistic rule.
Following the coalition victory involving left-leaning liberal conservative parties, Mr. Tusk—a former leader of the European Union who presided over the European Council from 2014 to 2019 and has close ties to Brussels—returned to the city of Warsaw. Tusk promised to cooperate with the parties despite their various candidacies in order to strengthen ties with allies and preserve democratic norms.
For the 38 million voters in Central Europe, where there was a record turnout to elect a new government due to popular dissatisfaction with the Law and Justice Party, the shift in power is considered as having significant implications. A lot of people thought it was eroding democratic norms.
Law and Justice, in power since 2015, expanded its powers over courts and judicial bodies, facing allegations from the European Union and others that it was undermining judicial independence. The party also transformed publicly funded media into a party mouthpiece.
In the lower house of the 460-seat parliament, the Sejm, Tusk’s support was strong with a vote of 248-201, reflecting a decisive victory.
During a brief statement, Tusk thanked Poland, stating, “This is a truly wonderful day.”
Tusk is scheduled to give a more in-depth speech to the parliament on Tuesday, introduce his cabinet, and face a vote of confidence in his newly formed administration. Following that, he should be sworn in by President Andrzej Duda, a step set for Wednesday morning.
Tusk’s election comes after the defeat of the government led by former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in the parliament. With the referendum, a violent and turbulent time came to an end. Tensions with Western allies, particularly the European Union, and pro-European and nationalist groups formed Poland’s rule of law and justice.
The presidency of Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Commission, couldn’t contain her joy in congratulating Tusk. She wrote on Twitter, “Your experience and strong commitment to our European values will be invaluable in building a strong Europe for the benefit of the Polish people.”
The power shift, coming almost two months after the election, saw Duda delaying for several weeks, keeping his political allies in positions for as long as possible. Voters, including many young Poles, who ultimately were eager for the change, showed increased interest in parliamentary proceedings, leading to a rise in the number of people watching the parliament’s livestream online.Szymon Holownia, a former reality television personality leading a party in a coalition with Tusk, became the Speaker of Parliament last month. He attracted attention for occasionally attempting to instill discipline in the sometimes noisy legislature.
The Warsaw cinema, broadcasting the parliamentary proceedings on Monday, captivated viewers who enjoyed popcorn and burst into laughter upon hearing the words of the current prime minister.
One viewer, Justyna Lemanska, a young advertising agency employee, said, “Things that have been bothering us for the past eight years have been so overwhelming that I’m not amazed it’s over with this joy.”
The change brings relief to many women who witnessed the erosion of reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ individuals who faced a government-led campaign of discrimination, leading some to be forced to leave the country.
The popularity of traditional Roman Catholic values and social spending policies, coupled with a government that prioritized economic competition, created a split between law and justice and popular opinion. The party lowered the retirement age and initiated cash payments to families with children, while also increasing pension payments for the elderly.
The leader of the conservative ruling party that guided Poland for the past eight years, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, considered Tusk’s return as a bitter turn of events. Although he alleged Tusk represented German interests during his years in Berlin, no evidence supports this claim.
At the end of the parliamentary session, Kaczynski went to the lecture hall, turned toward Tusk, and angrily stated, “You are a German agent, just a German agent.”
Tusk’s shoulders rose, while Holownia expressed disappointment that the day ended on such a bitter note.
Former President Lech Walesa, who had been hospitalized for several weeks due to COVID-19 and was frail, came to participate in the parliamentary session from his home in Gdansk.
Disappointed by the dismantling of democracy witnessed through the ordeal of the Solidarity freedom fighter Kaczynski, who wore a shirt with the word “Constitution,” a cry against the laws and justice. He watched the program from his balcony, and Tusk and other political supporters congratulated him.
A number of difficulties will face Tusk’s administration, one of which being the ongoing conflict that has spilled over into Ukraine from Russia.Tusk has scheduled a trip to Brussels for the end of the week in order to participate in important talks for Ukraine’s future at the European Union summit.Viktor Orban, the Prime Minister of Hungary, the European Union’s closest ally in Russia, is demanding that Ukraine’s membership in the European Union and hundreds of millions of euros in funding for the war-torn country be removed from the agenda.
Almost two years ago, after the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, Poland’s current government, initially one of Kyiv’s staunchest supporters, soured relations as economic competition from Ukrainian food producers and truck drivers angered Poles, who claimed their livelihoods were at risk. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated Tusk on Twitter, saying, “When we stand together, the freedom of both our countries is invincible.