His appointment was confirmed by acclamation during a party meeting in Brussels, according to a party source quoted by Poland’s PAP news agency.
Morawiecki’s candidacy was put forward by Meloni, who serves as Italy’s prime minister. She had led the ECR since 2020 but announced in December in Rome that she would step down and back Morawiecki as her successor.
Members of the ECR, formerly known as the Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists, include Poland’s Law and Justice (PiS) party, Meloni’s right-wing populist Brothers of Italy, the Czech conservative and economic liberal Civic Democratic Party (ODS), and the nationalist and populist Sweden Democrats.
The ECR also has a partnership with the US Republican Party.
Morawiecki’s leadership is the result of internal agreements within the group.
Meanwhile, Italy's Carlo Fidanza, France's Marion Maréchal and Romania's George Simion were elected as vice presidents, the Euronews outlet reported.
'Make Europe great again'
Asked in December about his goals as ECR leader, Morawiecki said that "the objective for the entire European right, and for everyone who cares about Europe's future, is essentially one: to make Europe great again."
He added: "If we do not take bold action for Europe’s future, we will become one big museum—rich in monuments and history, but with a weak economy.”
He told the PAP news agency at the time: "I do not want a Europe that is merely a shadow of its former power. I want a Europe that wins—not just with its culture and history, but also with a modern economy."
Morawiecki served as Poland’s prime minister from 2017 to 2023, leading three consecutive Cabinets under the PiS party.
Before that, he was a deputy prime minister from 2015 to 2017 and previously held positions in the financial sector, including as CEO of Bank Zachodni WBK from 2007 to 2015.
He was also a member of an economic council advising Poland’s government under Donald Tusk from 2010 to 2012.
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Source: IAR, PAP, TVP Info, Euronews