Warsaw (Reuters)-The Poland’s pro-European coalition government won a vote of confidence on Wednesday, a result that Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he hoped to give his cabinet a new moment after being shaken by a setback in the presidential election.
Rafal Trzaskowski of the Tusk Civic Coalition was defeated by nationalist Karol Nawrocki in the second round of the June 1 election, triggering recriminations from the coalition government’s minor partners and launching doubts about the future of the administration when a hostile president could exercise veto power.
Tusk’s wide coalition has 242 parliamentarians in the 460 seats, or Sejm, which means it has always been likely to survive Wednesday’s vote of confidence.
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“We have a mandate to take full responsibility for what is happening in Poland,” Tusk told Parliament in a debate before the vote of confidence. “Governing Poland is a privilege.”
Tusk listed higher defense spending and a cut in the emission of visas for immigrants by his government as the main achievements since assuming power in December 2023, replacing the Nationalist Law and Justice (PIS), which supports Nawrockki.
He said his government will continue his efforts to reverse the judicial reforms implemented by PIS which, according to the European Union, impair the independence of the courts. Poland’s departure president, Andrzej Duda, also PIS ally, has so far blocked the government’s attempts to reverse judicial reforms.
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Analysts state that many Polish voters are disillusioned with government failure to fulfill their promises, including liberalization of abortion laws, reform of the judiciary and the increase of the limit from which Polish are starting to pay taxes.
