Announcing the deal to reporters, Kaczyński said his Law and Justice (PiS) party and its new junior coalition partner would “support the government through the parliamentary caucus” as well as contest the next elections together, the state PAP news agency reported.
Kaczyński added that the deal marked the end of “a difficult period” for Poland's governing United Right coalition, and while “negotiations weren’t always easy,” they “ended happily as everyone showed common sense."
Poland's conservative leader Jarosław Kaczyński. Photo: PAP/Rafał Guz
Kaczyński was referring to political turbulence following the dismissal in August of Deputy Prime Minister Jarosław Gowin, whose Agreement party subsequently left the ruling coalition, putting the government’s parliamentary majority in jeopardy, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.
Kaczyński told reporters that OdNowa’s policy vision was broadly aligned with his own party's "grand plan to reshape Poland.”
Both partners have also agreed on a candidate for the next mayor of Warsaw “although it is too early to name names,” Kaczyński said, while appearing alongside OdNowa’s leader, Deputy Defence Minister Marcin Ociepa.
Meanwhile, Ociepa, who had remained in the government after previously threatening to resign over Gowin’s dismissal, said he was “pleased we have struck a policy-oriented agreement.”
He added that OdNowa sought to attract the younger generation, while its policy priorities included security, the economy, local government, European policy and healthcare.
Ociepa also said his grouping would have high-ranking representatives at five ministries, and would contest the next local, parliamentary and European elections alongside Law and Justice.
“We aim to add value to the United Right so that in 2023 we can start a series of victories together and continue in power,” Ociepa told reporters, as quoted by PAP.
Marcin Ociepa. Photo: PAP/Rafał Guz
Poland’s governing United Right coalition, led by the Law and Justice party, also includes Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro’s United Poland grouping and Adam Bielan’s Republicans.
(pm/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, TVP Info
