Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk survives vote of confidence as he bids to reassert control
By VANESSA GERA
Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government survived a vote of confidence in the Polish parliament on Wednesday, with supporters rising and applauding him and chanting his name.
Lawmakers voted 243-210 in favor of the government. There were no abstentions.
Tusk requested the vote following the defeat of his political ally in the recent presidential election, a loss that left him weakened and in need of a way to reassert his authority.
Tusk requested a vote of confidence in the wake of the June 1 loss of Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski — his close ally — to nationalist historian Karol Nawrocki. Backed by U.S. President Donald Trump, Nawrocki is set to replace outgoing President Andrzej Duda, another conservative who repeatedly blocked Tusk's reform efforts.
'I am asking for a vote of confidence with full conviction that we have a mandate to govern, to take full responsibility for what is happening in Poland,' Tusk said.
Most of the power in Poland's parliamentary system rests with an elected parliament and a government chosen by the parliament. However, the president can veto legislation and represents the country abroad.
'Anyone who is ready to move forward with me, with the government, and above all with our voters, regardless of these momentary emotions, and build a better Poland, should vote today for a vote of confidence in our government," Tusk said.
The vote, scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, is widely expected to go in Tusk's favor. His four-party coalition holds a narrow but stable majority in the 460-seat Sejm, Poland's lower house.
A loss for Trump would trigger the formation of a caretaker government and may open the door for an early parliamentary election. That could potentially returning power to the conservative Law and Justice party, in coalition with the far-right Confederation party, whose candidate placed third in the presidential race.
Tusk had long counted on a Trzaskowski victory to break the institutional deadlock created by Duda's vetoes. Instead, he now faces an incoming president aligned with the nationalist opposition and openly hostile to his government's legislative priorities.
'We cannot close our eyes to reality,' he said. 'A president who was reluctant to accept the changes we proposed for Poland and our voters is being replaced by a president who is at least equally reluctant to those changes and proposals.'
But he also argued that Trzaskowski's narrow defeat indicates that there is continued strong support for those who share his views.
The election result has rattled the already uneasy governing coalition, which spans from center-left to center-right and has struggled to deliver on key campaign pledges, including liberalizing Poland's abortion law and legalizing same-sex civil unions. Tusk acknowledged the growing strains in Wednesday's address.
Many are also blaming Tusk for contributing to Trzaskowski's loss. Much of the criticism has come from within his coalition, as his partners examine whether they are better off sticking with him or risking a collapse of the coalition. Some are calling for a new prime minister to be selected.
There are questions about what Tusk can realistically achieve before the next parliamentary election, scheduled for late 2027, and whether the coalition will even survive that long amid a surge in popularity for the far right. Polish media and political analysts are debating whether this might be the 68-year-old Tusk's political twilight.
'I know the taste of victory, I know the bitterness of defeat, but I don't know the word surrender,' Tusk said.
As part of his fresh start, he announced plans for a government reconstruction in July that will include 'new faces.' He said a government spokesman would be appointed in June — an acknowledgement that the coalition needs a way to present a unified message. So far Tusk has sought to communicate his policies to the public himself on social media and in news conferences.
Tusk served as Polish prime minister from 2007 to 2014 and then as president of the European Council from 2014 to 2019. He became Poland's prime minister again in December 2023 in a country exhausted by the pandemic and inflation, and with political divisions deep and bitter.
In a sign of those divisions, half of the parliament hall was empty on Wednesday, with many lawmakers from the right-wing Law and Justice party boycotting his speech. Tusk said their absence showed disrespect to the nation.
As lawmakers held a debate that went on for hours, an extreme far-right lawmaker, Grzegorz Braun, destroyed an exhibition promoting LGBTQ+ equality in the corridors of parliament, pulling down posters and trampling on them.
Braun, who has been accused of being antisemitic and extinguished Hannukah candles in parliament with a fire extinguisher in 2023, was a presidential candidate who won more than 6% of the votes in the first round of the recent election.
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Today
11-06-2025
- Japan Today
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk survives vote of confidence as he bids to reassert control
By VANESSA GERA Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government survived a vote of confidence in the Polish parliament on Wednesday, with supporters rising and applauding him and chanting his name. Lawmakers voted 243-210 in favor of the government. There were no abstentions. Tusk requested the vote following the defeat of his political ally in the recent presidential election, a loss that left him weakened and in need of a way to reassert his authority. Tusk requested a vote of confidence in the wake of the June 1 loss of Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski — his close ally — to nationalist historian Karol Nawrocki. Backed by U.S. President Donald Trump, Nawrocki is set to replace outgoing President Andrzej Duda, another conservative who repeatedly blocked Tusk's reform efforts. 'I am asking for a vote of confidence with full conviction that we have a mandate to govern, to take full responsibility for what is happening in Poland,' Tusk said. Most of the power in Poland's parliamentary system rests with an elected parliament and a government chosen by the parliament. However, the president can veto legislation and represents the country abroad. 'Anyone who is ready to move forward with me, with the government, and above all with our voters, regardless of these momentary emotions, and build a better Poland, should vote today for a vote of confidence in our government," Tusk said. The vote, scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, is widely expected to go in Tusk's favor. His four-party coalition holds a narrow but stable majority in the 460-seat Sejm, Poland's lower house. A loss for Trump would trigger the formation of a caretaker government and may open the door for an early parliamentary election. That could potentially returning power to the conservative Law and Justice party, in coalition with the far-right Confederation party, whose candidate placed third in the presidential race. Tusk had long counted on a Trzaskowski victory to break the institutional deadlock created by Duda's vetoes. Instead, he now faces an incoming president aligned with the nationalist opposition and openly hostile to his government's legislative priorities. 'We cannot close our eyes to reality,' he said. 'A president who was reluctant to accept the changes we proposed for Poland and our voters is being replaced by a president who is at least equally reluctant to those changes and proposals.' But he also argued that Trzaskowski's narrow defeat indicates that there is continued strong support for those who share his views. The election result has rattled the already uneasy governing coalition, which spans from center-left to center-right and has struggled to deliver on key campaign pledges, including liberalizing Poland's abortion law and legalizing same-sex civil unions. Tusk acknowledged the growing strains in Wednesday's address. Many are also blaming Tusk for contributing to Trzaskowski's loss. Much of the criticism has come from within his coalition, as his partners examine whether they are better off sticking with him or risking a collapse of the coalition. Some are calling for a new prime minister to be selected. There are questions about what Tusk can realistically achieve before the next parliamentary election, scheduled for late 2027, and whether the coalition will even survive that long amid a surge in popularity for the far right. Polish media and political analysts are debating whether this might be the 68-year-old Tusk's political twilight. 'I know the taste of victory, I know the bitterness of defeat, but I don't know the word surrender,' Tusk said. As part of his fresh start, he announced plans for a government reconstruction in July that will include 'new faces.' He said a government spokesman would be appointed in June — an acknowledgement that the coalition needs a way to present a unified message. So far Tusk has sought to communicate his policies to the public himself on social media and in news conferences. Tusk served as Polish prime minister from 2007 to 2014 and then as president of the European Council from 2014 to 2019. He became Poland's prime minister again in December 2023 in a country exhausted by the pandemic and inflation, and with political divisions deep and bitter. In a sign of those divisions, half of the parliament hall was empty on Wednesday, with many lawmakers from the right-wing Law and Justice party boycotting his speech. Tusk said their absence showed disrespect to the nation. As lawmakers held a debate that went on for hours, an extreme far-right lawmaker, Grzegorz Braun, destroyed an exhibition promoting LGBTQ+ equality in the corridors of parliament, pulling down posters and trampling on them. Braun, who has been accused of being antisemitic and extinguished Hannukah candles in parliament with a fire extinguisher in 2023, was a presidential candidate who won more than 6% of the votes in the first round of the recent election. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Japan Today
03-06-2025
- Japan Today
Poland sets government confidence vote for June 11 as Tusk notes a ‘new political reality'
By VANESSA GERA Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Tuesday that Poland's parliament will hold a confidence vote on his government on June 11, as the country faces a 'new political reality.' He called for the vote after his political ally, the liberal Warsaw mayor, lost Poland's weekend presidential election to conservative Karol Nawrocki. '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 honor.' Tusk's government runs most of the day-to-day matters in Poland. It also exists separately from the presidency, but the president holds power to veto laws and influence foreign policy, and Nawrocki's win will make it extremely difficult for Tusk to press his pro-European agenda. There are already questions about whether Tusk's fragile coalition can survive until the next scheduled parliamentary election at the end of 2027. Some of his political opponents are calling for him to step down. The decision to call a confidence vote is apparently an attempt by Tusk to try to reassert authority in a shifting political situation where some of his coalition partners might be less likely to want to stick with him. Observers believe that he's extremely likely to survive the vote next week and to be in a position to continue governing Poland as its most powerful official. The parties in his coalition still hold a majority in parliament. Tusk oversees a coalition of several parties spanning an ideological divide, from left-wing progressives to centrists to agrarian conservatives. The divided coalition has failed to agree on some issues, and the government has failed to fulfill some of Tusk's key promises, including a liberalization of the restrictive abortion law. Nawrocki, who was supported by U.S. President Donald Trump, won 50.89% of votes in a tight race against Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, who received 49.11%. The election revealed deep divisions in the country, which is located along the eastern flank of NATO and the European Union. Nawrocki, who is set to take office on Aug. 6, is expected to shape the country's domestic and foreign policy in ways that could strain ties with Brussels, while aligning the Central European nation of nearly 38 million people more closely with the Trump administration. Trump welcomed his election, saying on his social media platform Truth Social: 'Congratulations Poland, you picked a WINNER!' Nawrocki replied to Trump on X, saying: 'Thank you, Mr President. Strong alliance with the USA, as well as partnership based on close cooperation are my top priorities.' Nawrocki will replace Duda, whose second five-year term ends on Aug. 6. The Polish Constitution limits presidents to two terms. Duda has invited Nawrocki to a meeting on Tuesday evening, and said that he believes it will be only the first of meetings in which he will share his experiences, primarily in the field of security policy and international policy. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Japan Times
03-06-2025
- Japan Times
Tusk calls confidence vote after nationalist wins Polish presidential election
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called Monday for a parliamentary confidence vote in a bid to demonstrate continuing support for his pro-EU government, after nationalist Karol Nawrocki won the presidential election. European far-right leaders welcomed the election of the 42-year-old Nawrocki, a fan of U.S. President Donald Trump who has said he will oppose the government's progressive agenda on abortion and LGBTQ rights. He won Sunday's runoff in the highly polarized EU and NATO member state with 51% of the vote to 49% for Tusk's liberal ally Rafal Trzaskowski. In a televised address, former EU chief Tusk said he wanted the confidence vote "soon" and vowed to stay on, adding that the election "will not change anything." His comments came shortly after opposition leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski of the populist Law and Justice (PiS) party said that Poles had shown him the "red card." Kacynski called for a "technical" government of experts to replace the current one. Nawrocki said on X that he wanted Poland to be "a state that matters in international, European and transatlantic relations. "I will represent you with dignity on the international state, ensuring Poland is treated as an equal," he wrote. Nawrocki could revive tensions with Brussels over rule-of-law issues and complicate ties with Ukraine as he opposes NATO membership for the war-torn country and wants to cut benefits for Ukrainian refugees. "Nawrocki's presidency will be a rough ride for the Tusk government," said analyst Piotr Buras, adding that the president-elect "wants to overthrow" Tusk. He said the election result could lead to "early parliamentary elections, maybe not this year, but next" year. Reforms planned by Tusk, who came to power in 2023, have been held up by a deadlock with the current president, who endorsed Nawrocki. There have also been divisions in his governing coalition, which analysts said could be exacerbated by the election result. Polish presidents hold a crucial veto power over legislation. 'Share common values' Nationalist leaders rushed to congratulate Nawrocki. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban hailed his fellow nationalist's "fantastic victory," writing on X: "We are looking forward to working with you." French far-right leader Marine Le Pen also welcomed the "good news," while Italy's far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offered "best wishes" to Nawrocki and said their countries "share common values." Other EU leaders gave a more measured response. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was "confident" that "very good cooperation" would continue with Warsaw. French President Emmanuel Macron urged Nawrocki to work towards "a strong, independent and competitive Europe that respects the rule of law." In his congratulatory statement late Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said: "The Polish people have spoken and support a stronger military and securing their borders." 'They'll block everything' Many Nawrocki supporters said they hoped the new president would help curb immigration and advocate for more sovereignty for Poland within the European Union. During the campaign, he also tapped into growing resentment against the estimated 1 million Ukrainian refugees living in Poland. Nawrocki used his last campaign hours to leave flowers at a monument to Poles killed by Ukrainian nationalists during World War II. Trzaskowski voter Zdzislaw Brojek said he expected "chaos" under the new president, who he claimed would do the PiS party's bidding. "They'll block laws, they'll block everything," the 65-year-old gardener said in Warsaw. Tomasz Szypula, 45, a campaigner, said the outcome "pushes back the prospect of any positive change for LGBTQ people for another five years" — the duration of presidential terms in Poland. He called the realization "devastating." Nawrocki opposes same-sex unions and said in April that "the LGBT community cannot count on me to address their issues." He also opposes any easing of Poland's near-total ban on abortion, declaring that he was "in favor of protecting life." Nawrocki's campaign was overshadowed at times by controversies over a murky apartment purchase and his football hooligan past. An amateur boxer, Nawrocki also denied media reports that he had procured sex workers while working as a hotel security guard.
