12/10/2023 9:30 pm (current 12/10/2023 9:30 pm)
Interim Prime Minister Morawiecki will likely fail ©APA/AFP
The current Prime Minister of Poland, Mateusz Morawiecki, wants to make a government statement on Monday (10 am) and ask for a vote of confidence in his new cabinet. Given that the national conservative PiS no longer has a majority in parliament, Morawiecki's cabinet will likely fail the confidence vote. This, in turn, paves the way for a change of power in Poland, which PiS has long postponed.
In the October 15 parliamentary elections, three previous pro-European opposition parties, led by former EU Council President Donald Tusk, won a clear majority of 248 of the 460 seats in the Sejm. A coalition agreement has already been signed. PiS received just 194 seats and has no coalition partner.
Despite this majority, President Andrzej Duda, who comes from the ranks of PiS, tasked Morawiecki with forming a government and swore in his cabinet at the end of November. The constitution stipulates that the head of government must present a vote of confidence to parliament within 14 days of taking office. Only if he fails will Parliament be able to choose a government from among its majority.
Tusk has announced that he wants to make a government statement on Tuesday and in turn call for a vote of confidence. The presidency said this Saturday that President Duda “does not intend to delay”. The new government could therefore take office on Wednesday morning.