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Polish PM calls for confidence vote after nationalist wins presidency

Polish PM calls for confidence vote after nationalist wins presidency

Straits Times4 days ago

Polish PM Donald Tusk has voiced hope that he'd be able to cooperate with the newly elected president. PHOTO: REUTERS
WARSAW - Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on June 2 called for a parliamentary confidence vote in a bid to demonstrate continued support for his pro-EU government after a nationalist candidate won the presidential election.
In a televised address, Mr Tusk said he would 'ask for a vote of confidence in the lower house soon' in his coalition government.
He voiced hope that he would be able to cooperate with president-elect Karol Nawrocki.
'As prime minister, I will not stop for a moment my work and our common struggle for the Poland of our dreams... free, sovereign, safe and prosperous,' Mr Tusk said.
'The presidential election has not changed anything here and will not change anything.'
Mr Tusk's government has had a majority in Parliament since it took over from the Law and Justice (PiS) party following parliamentary elections in 2023.
But there are internal divisions in the coalition which experts say could be exacerbated by Mr Nawrocki's victory.
Some analysts have predicted that the growing political tensions could bring down the government and prompt early parliamentary elections, which are not expected until 2027.
PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski said just before Mr Tusk spoke that June 1's election result was a 'red card' for the government.
He called for an 'apolitical and technical government' of experts to take over.
Mr Nawrocki, an admirer of US President Donald Trump, won by 51 per cent to pro-EU liberal Rafal Trzaskowski's 49 per cent. AFP
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