PM Tusk: Polish government confidence vote to take place on 11 June
The Polish parliament is set to hold a confidence vote in his coalition government on June 11, Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced on Tuesday.
He called the vote on Monday, a day after his ally, liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, lost Sunday's presidential runoff.
"We are starting the session in a new political reality," Tusk said at the start of a cabinet meeting in Warsaw.
"The political reality is new, because we have a new president. But the constitution, our obligations and the expectations of citizens have not changed. In Poland, the government rules, which is a great obligation and honour."
Trzaskowski's defeat at the polls to conservative Karol Nawrocki leaves Tusk politically weakened, and there are questions about whether his multi-party coalition can survive to the end of its term in late 2027.
Tusk's government runs most of the day-to-day matters in Poland and exists separately from the presidency, but the president holds power to veto laws and Nawrocki's win is expected to make it difficult for Tusk to press his pro-European agenda.
He came to power in late 2023 in a coalition government with a broad ideological divide and has been unable to muster enough support to fulfil specific electoral promises, such as easing abortion law.
Nawrocki, who was supported by US President Donald Trump, will succeed incumbent President Andrzej Duda, whose second and final term ends on 6 August.
The 42-year-old amateur boxer and political novice is supported by the conservative Law and Justice or PiS party, which governed Poland from 2015 to 2023.
Party leader Jarosław Kaczyński appealed on Monday to all political forces to support the formation of a technocratic government.
"Today we need a solution in the form of a technical government, which, like the president, will be non-partisan. The head of this government must be selected in talks with those who would be ready to support such a project. It would not have to be someone who has ties to us," he said.
"Individual ministries would be managed by specialists in specific areas of social life."
Nawrocki won 50.89% of the votes in Sunday's runoff, with Rafał Trzaskowski finishing second with 49.11%.
As part of the European Green Deal, Europe hopes to become climate neutral by 2050.
Sustainable transport is one of the cornerstones of Europe's green transition, alongside the shift away from fossil fuels.
However, making cities less reliant on motor vehicles isn't just beneficial for the environment, it also helps protect public health.
World Bicycle Day, celebrated globally on 3 June, highlights the benefits of using a bike as a sustainable means of transport.
As far as eco-friendly transport goes, cycling is difficult to beat. But in order to encourage people to opt for a bycicle, it is crucial that the necesseary infrastructure, such as urban cycle route networks, is in place.
The urban cyclists' association, Save Cyclists in Rome, which advocates for the safety and rights of the cycling community, regularly monitor city policies on cycling infrastructure development.
Their focus includes the "Biciplan Programme," a 154-page document outlining proposed interventions, which was launched by Rome's Mayor Roberto Gualtieri.
As part of the plan, several projects are already underway, including the creation of several cycle paths.
However, according to Tommaso Grandi, of the Save Cyclists in Rome association, while the proposed plans look promising, "the reality on the ground is more complex."
"Much has been done both in terms of cycling kilometres and the number of urban cyclists. But there are also those who try to boycott cycling, which means that development is slower than in other big cities," he said.
Grandi added that cyclists often face challenges caused by other road users, particularly motorists, who do not always comply with road rules.
The activist said double-parking and texting while driving are two major obstacles to cyclists in Italy and believes stricter law enforcement and increased checks are necessary for drivers.
"If a citizen from Amsterdam or Copenhagen were to visit Rome, they would find themselves completely disoriented," Grandi said.
Other large metropolitan cities, such as Paris, have also ramped up the development of its cycling infrastructure in recent years.
"The reality is that all cities today should focus on bicycles as a means of everyday transport," Grandi continued. According to him, "a coexistence between cyclists, pedestrians and motorists needs to be created."
Grandi emphasised that while many people believe a car may get them to their location more quickly, cycling may be a faster mode of transportation in a city, particularly for short to medium distances.
"It is true that distances are long in Rome, but on average each trip does not exceed five-six kilometres," he said.
"Among other things, the data tell us that the average speed by bicycle is much higher than by car, even taking into account the time lost looking for a parking space."
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