Polish lawmakers reject bid to oust health minister

Polish lawmakers have rejected an attempt to oust the country's health minister, who has faced criticism over claims of a progressive decline in the national healthcare system.

Polish Health Minister Izabela Leszczyna.

Photo: PAP/Rafał Guz

A total of 238 MPs on Thursday voted to defeat a no-confidence motion put forward against Health Minister Izabela Leszczyna by the opposition.

Meanwhile, 208 deputies supported the motion, and none abstained, state news agency PAP reported.

Izabela Leszczyna nadal ministrą zdrowia. Sejm odrzucił wniosek o votum nieufności https://t.co/CjEpD74Vu4

— PolskieRadio24.pl (@PR24_pl) November 21, 2024

The bid had little chance of succeeding because the country’s ruling coalition holds a comfortable majority in parliament.

The vote came after the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party accused Leszczyna of being responsible for what it described as the deteriorating condition of the Polish healthcare system.

Sejm odrzucił wniosek PiS o wotum nieufności wobec ministry zdrowia Izabeli Leszczyny#PAPinformacje https://t.co/1Hb0vl0xpo

— PAP (@PAPinformacje) November 21, 2024

Prime Minister Donald Tusk defended his minister in parliament, saying she was playing a crucial role in efforts to "lift the national healthcare system out of the swamp" left by the previous administration.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Photo: PAP/Paweł Supernak

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Source: IAR, PAP