Latest news with #Sejm
Gulf Insider
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
Polish MEP Destroys LGBTQ Exhibition
Prominent right-wing Polish MEP Grzegorz Braun destroyed a pro-LGBT exhibition on Wednesday in the Polish parliament. The organization 'Tęczowe Opole' had created the exhibit to present photos and accounts of young homosexual, bisexual, and transgender people from the Opole region, and displayed it in the Sejm during an action-packed day as lawmakers were in full attendance to debate the confidence vote in Prime Minister Donald Tusk, writes the Do Rzeczy news portal. In the footage now circling social media, a uniformed officer warned Braun to stop. 'Mr. MP, I am calling you to order. Please do not destroy the exhibition,' he could be heard saying. Another person present at the time asked Braun: 'What are you doing, Mr. MP? This is an exhibition,' to which the MP replied, 'I am preventing public scandal.' Kiedy to miała być zwykła nudna wycieczka szkolna do Sejmu, ale Sejm akurat zawierał naraz Grzegorza Brauna i wystawę LGBT: — Paweł Rybicki (@Rybitzky) June 11, 2025 The footage also showed high school children who were apparently on a trip to the Sejm, with some commenters indicating they were amused by his actions. In response to his actions, Speaker of the Sejm Szymon Hołownia told press that Braun will no longer be allowed to enter the Sejm. 'It is not the first time that MEP Braun has committed vandalism on the premises of the Chancellery of the Sejm. Until now, the Marshal's Guard could use physical force against persons covered by immunity when someone's health or life is at risk. From now on, the Marshal's Guard will also use it in a situation when such a person destroys property on the premises managed by the Chancellery of the Sejm,' said Hołownia. 🇵🇱 Polish MEP and former presidential candidate Grzegorz Braun destroyed a pro-LGBT exhibition this afternoon in the Polish parliament. — Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) June 11, 2025 'I have also decided that Braun will not be allowed to enter the Sejm. I do not intend to allow him to build his pathological popularity on xenophobia, on insulting people of a different sexual orientation, on hatred,' he added. On the same day, Grzegorz Braun welcomed former MP Jacek Wilk to the Confederation of the Polish Crown at a press conference in the Sejm. 'We are breaking taboos, breaking monopolies in public and political life, and together with Jacek Wilk, a member of the Sejm of the 8th term, and I hope also of the following terms, we have been doing this together for years,' Braun said. As noted by Do Rzeczy, Grzegorz Braun was removed from the Confederation of Freedom and Independence after he announced his run in the presidential elections. Known for his anti-Semitic, homophobic, and nationalist views, Braun managed to secure 6.3 percent in the first round of Poland's presidential election in May. The self-proclaimed monarchist has reportedly said he wants Jesus crowned king of Poland, and in his most recent stunt, took a doctor hostage for over an hour because he believed an abortion she had performed had been read: Poland Sends Grim 3-Word Warning on How Close World Is to WW3
New Statesman
12-06-2025
- Politics
- New Statesman
Donald Tusk's self-own
Photo by NurPhoto/Getty It's no surprise that the marginal win on 2 June of Poland's President-elect, Karol Nawrocki, has rattled politics internationally considering his anti-EU stance – and his victory couldn't have been more of a blow to Poland's prime minister, Donald Tusk. Sensing the country's politics have once again become destabilised, Tusk called for a vote of confidence on Monday (11 June) in an attempt to bolster his party and strengthen their political power. 'I needed this vote for obvious reasons,' Tusk said after the votes have been cast. 'There have been speculations that this government won't be able to support itself and it's difficult to work in these conditions.' Yet the vote did little to prove his critics wrong. Marginal wins have recently become depressingly commonplace in Polish politics: in the first round of the presidential election, Rafał Trzaskowski narrowly won before Nawrocki secured the office with a 0.9 per cent advantage in the second round. Now Tusk has garnered the support of just 53 per cent of the Polish parliament, the Sejm. Rather than proving that Polish MPs have trust in his leadership, the vote of confidence has further demonstrated that Poland is divided. One member of the opposition said that what Tusk called on himself was in fact a 'vote of no confidence'. Only seven members of the Sejm abstained from voting, including Jarosław Kaczynski, the leader of the right-wing Law and Justice party, whose relations with Tusk have been tense since his first term as prime minister in 2007. So, what did the vote of confidence achieve? Simply put: nothing. The question period that proceeded the vote was less of a Q&A than an opportunity for Tusk's opponents to air their grievances in front of one another. Addressing the 'usually not present' prime minister – a phrase that many members of the opposition wielded to highlight Tusk's frequent lack of attendance in the Sejm – the usual repertoire of issues was broached ranging from education, public spending, the national healthcare system and the prime minister's systematic failures in their regard. As the question period dragged on, the condemnations disguised as questions became more audacious. A Law and Justice MP, Łukasz Kmita, called Tusk's leadership pathological and only possible thanks to his 'kiss-asses'. This sentiment was shared by fellow Law and Justice MP Zbigniew Bogucki who called Tusk's premiership 'pato-władza' – pathological governance. Another MP addressed Tusk as 'Herr Tusk' and proceeded to speak to him 'in a language he will understand' – German. The anti-German sentiment of the opposition was impossible to ignore, especially aimed at the prime minister. For years Tusk has been the subject of conspiracy theories that paint him as a 'German spy' due to his pro-EU sentiments, allyship with Germany – a position some view as selling Poland out – and his German heritage on his mother's side. So, yes, Donald Tusk won his vote, but he didn't exactly bolster confidence. In the past, the vote of confidence has been a tool wielded in difficult and important political moments – something Tusk has experience with having called on it in 2012 and 2014. This is one of those significant political moments, yet the tactic failed. Rather than proving unity, the vote drew a firm divisive line. With an upcoming parliamentary reshuffle in July and the presidency of Nawrocki starting in August, the country is entering a summer of political disturbance. According to United Surveys, 44.8 per cent of the Polish public think that Tusk should resign – a sentiment clearly shared with many members of the Sejm. The political divide in the country and in the Polish parliament will lead to further disillusionment and political fatigue. Nawrocki's presidency will not only add to the domestic political unrest but will also have an inevitable ripple effect on politics and policy beyond Poland's borders. [See also: The world is finally turning against the war on Gaza] Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe Related
Irish Independent
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Donald Tusk gets backing from Polish parliament, with rocky road ahead for his government
©Associated Press Today at 21:30 Donald Tusk's government survived a confidence vote yesterday, shoring up its mandate after the nationalist opposition's victory in the presidential election raised doubts about the Polish prime minister's ability to deliver on key reforms. Lawmakers voted 243-210 in favour of the government in the 460-seat Sejm, the lower house, with supporters rising to applaud Mr Tusk and chant his name. Register for free to read this story Register and create a profile to get access to our free stories. You'll also unlock more free stories each week.
Japan Today
11-06-2025
- Politics
- 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.
West Australian
11-06-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
Polish PM Tusk survives parliament vote of confidence
Poland's coalition government has won a vote of confidence, an outcome that Prime Minister Donald Tusk hopes will give his cabinet new momentum after it was shaken by a setback in the presidential election. Rafal Trzaskowski from Tusk's Civic Coalition was defeated by conservative historian Karol Nawrocki in the June 1 runoff vote, unleashing recriminations from the smaller partners in the coalition government and casting doubt over the administration's future when a hostile president is able to wield veto powers. MPs voted 243-210 in favour of the government. There were no abstentions. Tusk's broad coalition has 242 MPs in the 460-seat lower house, or Sejm, meaning it was always likely to survive Wednesday's vote of confidence. "I needed this vote because we were seeing ... speculation that this government will not make it, that Tusk may be taken down, and you cannot work under such conditions," Tusk said. However, he added that he still needed to regain voters' confidence: "We need to do much more." In a debate ahead of the vote, Tusk listed higher defence spending and a cut in visa issuance for migrants as major achievements since he took power in December 2023, replacing the nationalist Law and Justice party (PiS), which backs Nawrocki. Tusk also said his government would continue its efforts to roll back judicial reforms implemented by PiS that the European Union says undermine the courts' independence. Poland's outgoing president, Andrzej Duda, also a PiS ally, has so far blocked the government's attempts to reverse the judicial reforms. Analysts say many Polish voters are disillusioned with the government's failure to deliver on promises including reforming the judiciary and raising the threshold at which Poles start paying taxes. In an interview published on Wednesday, president-elect Nawrocki told Dziennik Gazeta Prawna daily that he would sign a law to raise the tax-allowance threshold and would even submit such a bill himself if the government did not. In an apparent swipe at the government's failure to implement the 100 promises it made for its first 100 days, Nawrocki said he would "do (them) for Donald Tusk. Isn't that conciliatory?". The government had hoped for a Trzaskowski victory in the presidential election that would have given it the freedom to fully implement its agenda. Facing questions about his leadership even from normally sympathetic media outlets, Tusk framed the vote of confidence as a chance to relaunch his 18-month-old government. "I would like you to know that for the entire ... coalition, this is to be a day of new momentum and I am convinced that you will live up to this task," he told his government ahead of Wednesday's vote. Tusk has said there will soon be a government reshuffle, probably in July. with AP
