Donald Tusk, leader of a coalition of pro-European forces in Poland, was elected prime minister on Monday December 11 by a vote in Parliament. The election of the former President of the European Council was almost assured after the failure of the outgoing Prime Minister. Earlier in the day, nationalist Mateusz Morawiecki presented his general policy speech to Parliament, but immediately lost the vote of confidence by 266 votes against and 190 in favor, thus paving the way for Mr. Tusk’s allies to form a new government.
Even if the coalition of pro-European forces won the legislative elections of October 15, it was to the outgoing nationalist power that President Andrzej Duda, his ally, had first entrusted the task of forming a government, delaying by almost two month the end of the populist nationalist camp’s eight years in power.
Now elected, Mr. Tusk must present his own general policy speech and his government on Tuesday, and immediately submit to the vote of confidence, before taking the oath of office on Wednesday to complete the procedures required by the Constitution. Mr. Tusk therefore intends to be able to represent his country at the next European summit, Thursday and Friday in Brussels.
The election of Donald Tusk comes in a still tense context between Brussels and Warsaw. The Polish Constitutional Court, under the influence of the nationalist populist government defeated at the polls, ruled on Monday that the penalties imposed by European justice for non-compliance with provisional decisions of the European Court are contrary to fundamental law.
The court which, according to Brussels, no longer meets the requirements of independence, ruled that the penalties imposed following a controversial justice reform and because of the criminal operation of a coal mine “are contrary to the Polish Constitution”.