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• Wed Jun 11 2025

Polish PM Donald Tusk wins confidence vote

13 hours ago Share Save Adam Easton Warsaw correspondent Share Save

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Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk has won a vote of confidence in his pro-EU government after his political camp narrowly lost the recent presidential election. Some 243 parliamentarians voted in favour of the coalition government, with 210 voting against and no abstentions. This vote has been seen by some as a piece of political theatre on the part of Tusk - a way of showing his broad coalition still has a mandate despite the presidential election defeat. Wednesday's vote was also a formality. Tusk's coalition has a 12-seat majority in the lower house, the Sejm, and only a simple majority in the presence of half the 460 parliamentarians was required to win. Ahead of the vote, Tusk told the house that they could not "close their eyes" to the reality that his government faces "greater challenges" thanks to the election of Karol Nawrocki, who is supported by the Law and Justice (PiS) opposition. Poland's president can veto legislation and Nawrocki - a socially conservative supporter of US President Donald Trump who opposes a federal Europe and Ukraine's entry to Nato and the EU - is expected to continue to use this power as the conservative incumbent, Andrzej Duda, has done during the first 18 months of Tusk's term in office.

Tusk's coalition lacks a big enough parliamentary majority to overturn a presidential veto. Nothing can be done about that, but a reconfirmation by parliament puts Tusk's government on the front foot again, at least for now. He has also announced a cabinet reshuffle would take place in July. "I'm asking you for a vote of confidence because I have the conviction, faith and certainty that we have a mandate to govern, to take full responsibility for what is happening in Poland," Tusk said. "We are facing two and a half years, in difficult conditions, of full mobilisation and full responsibility." He referred to Polish tennis star Iga Swiatek's recent unsuccessful attempt to win a fourth straight French Open title at Roland Garros, quoting the Frenchman's famous quote: "Victory belongs to the most tenacious."