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New Polish gov't will be 'a team of experts': conservative leader

27.11.2023 10:00
Poland's new government, to be unveiled on Monday, will be "a team of experts" focused on policy issues, the leader of the country's ruling conservatives has said. 
Polands conservative leader Jarosław Kaczyński.
Poland's conservative leader Jarosław Kaczyński.PAP/Łukasz Gągulski

Jarosław Kaczyński, head of the governing conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, made the declaration in an interview published on Monday by state news agency PAP.

Later in the day, at 4:30 p.m., President Andrzej Duda was set to swear in Poland's new Cabinet, headed by Mateusz Morawiecki, the country's prime minister since 2017.

'New faces, not too many politicians'

Kaczyński said the new government would feature "new faces" and "not too many politicians."

The Polish conservative leader told the PAP news agency that the new Cabinet would "focus on policy issues" and represent "a concrete proposal for parliament, the president and the public."

Kaczyński added that, during its eight years in power, his party had "strengthened the Polish economy, raised its competitiveness and boosted the financial status of Polish families."

'Conference of patriotic forces' in January

He also announced that the conservatives would hold "a conference of patriotic forces" in January against proposed changes to European Union treaties.

Kaczyński said his Law and Justice party would seek to organise "a big movement in Poland and Europe" against the planned EU treaty amendments, adding that "Europe should be united, but without abolishing nation states."

Poland to appoint new gov't

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

The Polish president this month named Morawiecki, who has led Poland's government since 2017, as prime minister-designate, tasking him with forming a new Cabinet.

The ruling conservative Law and Justice party won Poland's October 15 election, but lost its parliamentary majority and looks unlikely to stay in power for a third consecutive term.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Donald Tusk has already chosen most candidates for ministerial roles in his future Cabinet, according to the Rzeczpospolita newspaper.

Poland's top lawmaker Szymon Hołownia told reporters on Friday that "all the names of the members of Donald Tusk's future government have been agreed on," the PAP news agency reported.

A bloc of opposition parties led by Tusk's Civic Coalition last week secured a resounding victory in Poland's new parliament during its first key vote to elect a house Speaker.

On November 10, these opposition groups, which also include the rural-based Polish People's Party (PSL), the centre-right Poland 2050 group and the Left party, 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.

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

(pm/gs)

Source: IAR, PAP