Former Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has been given authority by the Polish parliament to form a new coalition government.
President Andrzei Duda will swear in the new administration on Wednesday at the presidential palace.
The right-wing nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party, which frequently clashed with EU authorities, will end its eight-year rule. After the election, Mateusz Morawiecki’s PiS was the largest party by far, but it was unable to form a majority because other parties would not cooperate with it.
On Monday, Tusk was able to regain his position of authority after Morawiecki lost a vote of confidence. Despite winning the majority of seats in October’s elections, Tusk’s centrist coalition was unable to assume office until recently.
Tusk served as Poland’s prime minister from 2007 to 2014 before taking the helm of the European Council. With a record turnout of over 70%, his pro-EU coalition won a majority of seats in October’s elections. The three parties that make up the grouping are the Left, the Third Way, and Tusk’s Civic Coalition (KO).
Following the vote to name Tusk as prime minister, coalition MPs chanted his name and sang the national anthem.
There are great hopes for the new coalition. The new administration has made a commitment to uphold the judiciary’s independence, which it claims has been steadily compromised by earlier administrations.
Tusk also promised to unlock €36 billion ($38 billion) in EU funds that were designated for Poland but that Brussels would not release due to concerns about the rule of law. He added that safeguards for the LGBT community will be enhanced while a 2020 court ruling that outlawed abortion in practically all circumstances will be overturned.
