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Polish PM-designate seeks coalition gov't with parts of opposition

17.11.2023 12:00
Poland's ruling conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party will seek to form a coalition government with members of the centre-right Third Way alliance and the far-right Confederation group, following last month's parliamentary election, the prime minister-designate has announced.  
Mateusz Morawiecki
Mateusz MorawieckiPAP/Rafał Guz

Mateusz Morawiecki made the announcement in an interview with the Fakt tabloid, published on Friday. 

He conceded that, although his Law and Justice party won the October 15 election, he would "find it difficult to gain the support of a parliamentary majority" for his new Cabinet. 

He argued, however, that "voters expect Law and Justice to try and form a new government."

Morawiecki declared he would set out "policy ideas that are shared" by Law and Justice and the Confederation, as well as the Third Way alliance, which is made up of the centre-right Poland 2050 group and the agrarian Polish People's Party.

The outgoing prime minister, who has been offered a chance to form a new government, told Fakt that a coalition with parts of the Third Way and Confederation "is very much an option."

Morawiecki said that there would be "fewer ministers" in his new Cabinet, and that "more of them will be female."

The prime minister reiterated that he would unveil the new government "in seven to eight days."

Polish President Andrzej Duda on Monday named Morawiecki as prime minister-designate, tasking him with forming a new Cabinet.

The constitutional deadline for this is 14 days, which means Morawiecki has to unveil the new government by November 27.

Poles elected a new set of 460 MPs and 100 senators when they went to the ballot box last month.

Morawiecki's ruling conservatives won Poland's October 15 election, but lost their parliamentary majority and look unlikely to stay in power for a third consecutive term.

A bloc of pro-EU opposition parties on Monday secured a resounding victory in Poland's new parliament during its first key vote to elect a house Speaker.

On November 10,Poland's pro-European opposition groups signed an agreement to form a coalition government, pledging to restore the rule of law, promote green energy and relax abortion rules, among other policies.

(pm/gs)

Source: PAPFakt