Politics
Donald Tusk, Polish Election Victor, Urges Swift Formation of New Government
The victorious opposition leader in Poland's parliamentary election, Donald Tusk, has appealed to the country's president for prompt and decisive actions to expedite the formation of a new government. In the recent parliamentary election, a coalition of three opposition parties, committed to restoring democratic principles in Poland, collectively secured over 54% of the vote, positioning themselves for a potential transition to power.
Poland's constitution now mandates President Andrzej Duda to assess the new political landscape and appoint a new prime minister tasked with assembling a government, subject to parliamentary approval, all within a specified timeframe.
In a video statement, Tusk urged President Duda for swift decisions, emphasizing the readiness of the winning democratic parties to assume the responsibility of governing the country.
President Duda, an ally of the conservative Law and Justice party, which had been in power since 2015, holds office until 2025. Despite winning slightly over 35% of the votes, Law and Justice lost its parliamentary majority and faced challenges to retaining power.
The election witnessed a remarkable voter turnout of nearly 75%, the highest since Poland's return to democracy, surpassing even the 63% level in the pivotal 1989 vote that led to the collapse of the Soviet-backed communist regime.
The Law and Justice party had been criticized for undermining democratic institutions and using taxpayer-funded public media for propaganda purposes. Tusk's victory marked a significant turning point, as he was set to potentially return as Poland's prime minister, a position he held from 2007 to 2014, in addition to his past role as European Council president.
Tusk's success was even more remarkable given state media's portrayal of him as a pawn of Germany and Russia, a portrayal that seemed unfounded but garnered sympathy for him. Tusk received over half a million votes when running for a parliamentary seat, a record in Poland's parliamentary election history.
The election outcome offered relief to those concerned about Poland's international isolation, particularly in the context of the conflict in Ukraine and ongoing disputes with the European Union. Concerns had arisen about the possibility of Poland's eventual exit from the EU.
The LGBTQ+ community had been the target of a smear campaign, and liberal critics were often portrayed as disloyal to the country. Massive protests, led by women, had shaken the nation in response to changes in abortion laws.
Young people and women played a significant role in voting out the Law and Justice party, which had promised to combat corruption and address economic inequalities but faced allegations of corruption itself.
The National Electoral Commission reported that Law and Justice won slightly over 35% of the votes, while the far-right Confederation party secured approximately 7%. Three opposition groups jointly garnered 53.7%, granting them a comfortable majority of 248 seats in the 460-seat lower house of parliament (Sejm). Although they ran on separate tickets, they pledged to cooperate in restoring the rule of law.
The opposition now holds an overwhelming majority in the Senate, the upper house, with 66 out of 100 seats, while Law and Justice has only 34 seats. Additionally, a referendum held alongside the election did not reach the required 50% threshold for validity, as many voters boycotted it.
While the voting process has concluded, the formation of a new government may take several weeks. President Duda is obligated to convene the first session of the new parliament within 30 days of the election and appoint a prime minister to establish a government. In the interim, the current government will continue in a caretaker capacity.
