English Section

Poland's ruling party to start talks on new gov't next week: spokesman

09.11.2023 11:00
Poland's ruling conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party will on Monday start talks on forming a new government, following last month's parliamentary election, the spokesman for the outgoing government in Warsaw has said.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.PAP/Piotr Nowak

Piotr Müller announced the plan in a television interview on Thursday morning.

The government spokesman told private broadcaster Polsat News: "Talks to win support for the future government will most probably start on Monday."

Müller added that the Law and Justice party would outline its policy ideas for the next government and seek support from like-minded politicians, Polish state news agency PAP reported.

The spokesman also said that "MPs who are willing to support these policies will be invited to government formation talks."

He added that "informal consultations have already taken place."

'It would be unfair to our voters not to try'

Müller also said that "Law and Justice will continue its mission to form a new government" even if the four pro-European Union opposition parties, which have a majority in the new parliament, "elect their candidate for lower-house Speaker on Monday."

The government spokesman told Polsat News that the Law and Justice party and current Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki had agreed "to try and form a new government" after the October 15 election "because Polish voters handed us the victory, and said we have to seek coalition partners."

Müller said the plan may not succeed, but "it would be unfair to our voters not to try it."

Poland set to appoint new gov't

Poland’s ruling conservatives won the parliamentary election on October 15, but lost their parliamentary majority to an alliance of four pro-EU opposition parties led by the liberal Civic Coalition (KO).

President Andrzej Duda announced on Monday that the task of forming a new government would be given to Morawiecki.

As all other parties have ruled out entering into a coalition government with Morawiecki's Law and Justice, the current ruling party, in power since 2015, looks unlikely to be able to govern.

If Morawiecki is unable to win a vote of confidence in the lower house, the chamber will appoint another prime minister.

The job is expected to go to former top EU official Donald Tusk, who has been named by the four opposition parties as their choice for the next head of government. 

Tusk was Poland's prime minister from 2007 to 2014.

(pm/gs)

Source: PAPPolsat News