Poland is about to change government: Morawiecki asks a question of confidence Debate breaks out over photos of half-naked prisoners in Gaza

Poland’s incumbent Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki wants to make a government statement on Monday (10 a.m.) and request a vote of confidence for his new cabinet in the afternoon. Because the national-conservative PiS does not have 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 the PiS has long postponed. Parliament is expected to task former EU Council President Donald Tusk with forming a government on Monday evening.

In parliamentary elections on October 15, three pro-European parties from Tusk’s previous opposition won a clear majority of 248 out of 460 seats in the Sejm. A coalition agreement was signed weeks ago and the division of the departments has also been clarified. The PiS received only 194 seats and has no coalition partner.

The upcoming change of government in Warsaw is also likely to bring about a change in Polish foreign policy. The PiS was in constant conflict with Brussels over judicial reform. Relations with Berlin were also at a low point due to demands for World War II reparations worth 1.3 trillion euros. The three opposition parties stand for a pro-European course and a more conciliatory policy towards Germany. Tusk, 66, was head of the Polish government from 2007 to 2014.

However, President Andrzej Duda, who comes from the ranks of the PiS, has postponed the change for a long time. Despite the majority in parliament, he tasked Morawiecki with forming a government and was sworn into his cabinet at the end of November. The constitution stipulates that the head of government must submit a motion of confidence in parliament within fourteen days of being sworn in. Morawiecki will now do so when this deadline expires on Monday – an almost hopeless endeavor.

Only when Morawiecki has failed with the vote of confidence will it come to parliament. In the second step, the country can now determine a government based on its majority. The representatives of the tripartite alliance are expected to award the contract to form a government to Tusk on Monday evening – in the second round, the award will not be made by the president.

Tusk has announced that he will make a government statement on Tuesday morning and ask for a vote of confidence in the afternoon. Since the three-party alliance has a solid majority, Tusk is expected to pass the vote.

Then it is President Andrzej Duda’s turn again: he must swear in the Tusk government. But here too it becomes clear that the president is doing everything he can to stand in Tusk’s way. Duda’s office said on Saturday that the president is not seeking “any delay” and that the new government could therefore be sworn in on Wednesday morning. But this timing is also a blow to Tusk, as the date is historically loaded. On December 13, 1981, the then communist regime in Poland declared martial law – a dark day in the country’s history. (sda/dpa)