Poland

#2

That's unbelievable. Unfortunately, I know it's true.

RTH10260 · #3

Donald Tusk elected as Polish prime minister

Published 1 day ago
By Ido Vock BBC News

The Polish parliament has given former Prime Minister Donald Tusk a mandate to form a new coalition government.

The incoming administration will be sworn in at the presidential palace by President Andrzej Duda on Wednesday.

It will put an end to the eight-year rule of the right-wing nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party, which repeatedly clashed with EU authorities.

However, Mr Tusk may face difficulties in meeting his promise to undo the effects of PiS rule.

Mr Tusk's centrist coalition won most seats in October's elections but had been unable to take office until now.

The PiS, led by Mateusz Morawiecki, emerged as the single biggest party after the election, but other parties refused to work alongside it and it was not able to form a majority in parliament.

Mr Morawiecki lost a vote of confidence on Monday, paving the way for Mr Tusk to return to power.

Mr Tusk was previously prime minister of Poland between 2007 and 2014, later becoming European Council president.

October's elections saw his pro-EU coalition win a majority of seats with a record turnout of more than 70%.

The grouping comprises three parties, Mr Tusk's Civic Coalition (KO), the Third Way and the Left.

Coalition MPs chanted Mr Tusk's name and sang the national anthem after the vote to designate him as prime minister.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67681940

RTH10260 · #4

Poland recalls 50 ambassadors appointed by former rightwing government
Polish prime minister Donald Tusk says move is ‘not a retaliation’ as foreign ministry says the changes are already taking place

Guardian staff and agencies
Thu 14 Mar 2024 02.18 CET

Poland is recalling 50 of its ambassadors as part of efforts by the new, pro-European Union government to improve diplomatic missions at a challenging time, the country’s foreign ministry has said.

In its statement, the ministry said the change of the envoys was “necessary” and would serve a “better, professional implementation of the difficult tasks” facing Poland’s foreign policy.

Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, said it was crucial to have a team of loyal envoys when neighbouring Ukraine is fending off Russia’s full-scale war. He stressed it was “not a retaliation” against his predecessors.

The diplomats had all been appointed by the previous, rightwing administration which governed for eight years until December, when a three-way opposition alliance won an overall majority in Poland’s elections and took power with Donald Tusk as prime minister.

The government statement did not name any of the ambassadors being recalled by foreign minister, Radek Sikorski, and did not say when the recalled ambassadors would be replaced or if any foreign postings would be cut.

But the ministry did say the procedure had begun.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/ ... government