Tusk to ask for a vote of confidence

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced on Monday his intention to request a government confidence vote in parliament, after his candidate, Rafal Trzaskowski, lost a presidential election on Sunday.

“The first test will be a vote of confidence, which I will ask in the parliament soon,” Tusk said in a televised speech.

“I want everyone to see, including our opponents, at home and abroad, that we are ready for this situation, that we understand the gravity of the moment, but that we do not intend to take a single step back,” he added.

The victory of nationalist opposition candidate Karol Nawrocki in Sunday’s presidential election was a significant setback for the centrist government’s efforts to strengthen Warsaw’s pro-European orientation.

According to the National Election Commission, Nawrocki won with 50.89% of the vote. A eurosceptic historian, he was supported by the nationalist conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party.

Liberal Warsaw mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, backed by the ruling Civic Coalition (KO), and Tusk, received 49.11%. He conceded defeat and offered his congratulations to Nawrocki.

Conservative shift in Poland

Although Nawrocki ran as an independent, he was backed by the right-wing opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, which is closely aligned with outgoing President Andrzej Duda.

Prime Minister Tusk’s governing coalition has sought to reverse the previous PiS government’s judicial reforms, which the European Union said undermined democracy and the rights of women and minorities.

However, Duda blocked those efforts, and Nawrocki is expected to maintain this position. Supporters of Nawrocki view him as a champion of conservative values, including his strong anti-abortion stance.

During the campaign, Nawrocki vowed to defend Poland’s sovereignty and criticised what he described as excessive interference from the European Union.

Having received backing from US President Donald Trump, who hosted him at the White House in early May, he is more sympathetic toward the United States.

He has pledged continued support for Ukraine’s defence against Russia but opposes its accession to NATO.

President’s role is not symbolic in Poland

In the Polish political system, the prime minister, who is chosen by parliament, holds most day-to-day power.

However, the president’s role is not merely ceremonial. The head of state can influence foreign policy and veto legislation.

It was Duda’s veto power that prevented Tusk from fulfilling promises to reverse laws that politicized the court system in a way that the European Union found to be undemocratic.

Now, it appears that Tusk will be unable to fulfil the promises, that he made to both voters and the EU.

Nawrocki will succeed Duda, whose second and final term ends on August 6. According to the Polish constitution, the president serves a five-year term and may be re-elected once.