Poland appoints Donald Tusk as the country's new prime minister as he seeks to better the nation's European Union ties.
Tusk, the leader of a centrist party, returned as the leader of Poland for the first time in nearly a decade following a Monday vote in parliament. The former EU leader who also served as European Council president from 2014 to 2019 has strong connections in Brussels.
Donald Tusk Becomes Poland's Prime Minister
He is expected to improve Warsaw's standing in the bloc's capital and his ascension to power came almost two months after an election that was won by a coalition of parties that range from left-wing to moderate conservative.
The parties that are of the coalition ran on separate tickets but pledged to work with each other under Tusk's leadership. They seek to restore democratic standards and improve Poland's ties with its allies.
Poland's change in power is felt as hugely consequential for the roughly 38 million citizens of the Central European nation. It is where collective anger against the Law and Justice party resulted in a record-high turnout to replace the administration that many people believed was eroding democratic norms, as per the Associated Press.
The Law and Justice political party took office in 2015 and was able to increase its power over courts and judicial bodies. It drew accusations from the EU and many other international powers that it was eroding judicial independence. The party also turned taxpayer-funded public media into a party mouthpiece.
The latest vote resulted in 248-201 in support of Tusk in the 460-seat lower house of parliament, the Sejm, with no abstentions. Following the result of the vote, the prime minister expressed his gratitude to the people, saying that it marked a truly wonderful day.
Now, Tusk is scheduled to give a more substantial speech to parliament on Tuesday as well as present his Cabinet and face a vote of confidence for his new government. Afterward, he will be sworn in by Polish President Andrzej Duda, which will be scheduled on Wednesday morning.
Bettering European Union Relations
The vote comes as Poland has seen tens of billions of euros of European Union funds being frozen because of a dispute with Brussels over democratic standards. Tusk has committed to mending relations and unblocking the fund, according to Reuters.
Earlier in the day, former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki of the Law and Justice party lost a vote of confidence. The PiS came first in the election held on Oct. 15 and it got the first shot at forming a new government. However, it lacked the needed majority and all other parties had ruled out working with it.
The latest vote puts an end to the eight-year rule of the right-wing Law and Justice party which has frequently clashed with EU authorities on various issues. Despite his win, Tusk could face difficulties in meeting his pledge to undo the consequences of the PiS administration.
The coalition that won in the elections comprised three parties, Tusk's Civic Coalition (KO), the Third Way, and the Left. Coalition MPs chanted the newly elected prime minister's name and sang the national anthem following the results of the vote, said BBC.
