Poland’s liberal opposition parties reached a coalition agreement on Friday (Nov 10), stating that this would act as a “roadmap” for the fresh alliance if given a chance to take power.
Donald Tusk, the opposition’s candidate for prime minister said that in the coming years, they were ready to take the responsibility of the country.
“We really wanted Polish women and men who went to vote with such hope to see that… from now on, we are ready to take responsibility for our homeland and for the coming years,” Tusk told reporters.
Tusk, a leader of the liberal Civic Coalition main opposition bloc, spoke alongside his counterparts from the centrist Third Way and the Left.
“When I look at you all, you sort of remind me of the Avengers with superpowers,” said Left co-head Robert Biedron, referring to the comic book team of superheroes.
‘Series of pledges’
As per news agency Reuters reports, the parties made a series of pledges in the document which included the restoration of transparency of the public finances and depoliticisation of state-owned companies.
The deal also stated that the coalition would overturn a 2020 Constitutional Tribunal ruling that imposed a near-total ban on abortion.
The issue related to abortion is highly sensitive considering the presence of both Catholic social conservatives and left-wingers in an alliance.
“Everything cannot be reduced to one denominator,” said Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, leader of the centre-right Polish Peasants’ Party (PSL), which contested the election as part of a coalition called Third Way.
“In our agreement, we found a common denominator for the issues we want to implement. They concern support for families, employees, entrepreneurs, the Polish countryside, education, health care and women’s rights.”
Roles as per new agreement
As per the agreement signed, Kosiniak-Kamysz will serve as deputy prime minister, as will Krzystof Gawkowski from the New Left.
The position of parliament speaker will be shared between Third Way’s Szymon Holownia and the New left’s Wlodzimierz Czarzasty with each taking up the role for two years respectively.
President Andrzej Duda has provided the ruling nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party with the first move at constructing a government. However, PiS lacks a majority and with all the other parties having refused to work with it, its job seems next to impossible.
If Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki does not win a vote of confidence, parliament will appoint another government.
Tusk, former prime minister and ex-head of the European Council, has accused Duda of “playing for time” in selecting Morawiecki.
(With inputs from agencies)
