Donald Tusk, the “Europe-oriented” liberal who wants to end eight years of ultraconservative rule

A red heart-shaped sticker on the chest, rolled up shirt sleeves and a laughing eye: here is Donald Tusk ready for a new video on social networks. That day, in the middle of the legislative campaign, he was filmed during a distribution of… pineapple pizzas, accompanied by burlesque musical background. A new fantasy for this 66-year-old man, used to breaking away from the harshness of the electoral fight.

Sunday October 15, the Poles are called to renew their Parliament. At the end of this ballot, the majority will appoint a president of the Council of Ministers, responsible for composing a government. A position targeted by Donald Tusk, a well-known figure in the national and European political landscape. The liberal, who has been a deputy, senator, Prime Minister in his country, then president of the European Council, is banking on both his experience and his international aura to win. At the head of his Civic Coalition, he will try to bring down a major opponent: the ultraconservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, in power since 2015 and slightly ahead in the polls.

A historic rival of the conservatives, with whom he almost governed

Donald Tusk began his political career on the still lukewarm ashes of the Soviet bloc. In 1991, the native of Gdansk, an industrial port in northern Poland, was elected deputy. Six years later, aged 40, he became a senator and vice-president of the Polish upper house. In 2001, he co-founded the Civic Platform party (Platforma Obywatelska in Polish, abbreviated as PO).

His political rise continued during the 2000s, in parallel with that of Lech Kaczynski, founder of PiS. “In 2005, the PO and the PiS were supposed to govern together”remember political scientist Cédric Pellen, specialist in the country. But for lack of political agreement, the campaign for the 2005 presidential election “sees it all go up in smoke”, explains the researcher. Donald Tusk then conceded victory to Lech Kaczynski, of whom he nevertheless became Prime Minister in November 2007, replacing the conservative president’s twin brother, Jaroslaw Kaczynski.

For the Civic Platform, it is the consecration, and the opportunity to access power for the first time since the return of democracy to Poland. This victory also permanently established Donald Tusk in the national political landscape. To date, he holds the record for the longest mandate as Prime Minister of the Third Republic. (six years and ten months) thanks to a re-election in 2011.

A mixed record as prime minister

In 2007, when Donald Tusk took charge of the government, Poland had already been a member of the EU for three years. But the country lags significantly behind its western neighbors economically. Economic competitiveness as a compass, the leader “then takes place a series of neo-liberal inspired measures”tells franceinfo Valentin Behr, research fellow at the CNRS, attached to the European Center for Sociology and Political Science. The Prime Minister “welcomed at the time that Poland had strong economic growth and was becoming a European country”.

“Donald Tusk and the Civic Platform left the memory of a government very favorable to market logic, not very concerned with social aspects.”

Valentin Behr, Poland specialist

at franceinfo

For many Poles, this period is synonymous with growing inequality, “like the precariousness of the job market, the poor integration of young people”, adds Cédric Pellen for his part. The Tusk years also saw the emergence of unpopular measures, such as the increase in the legal retirement age (from 62 to 65, then 67 for all) or the privatization of public companies. The retirement age has since been lowered by the Conservatives to 65 for men and 60 for women.

A Europhile passing through Brussels

Favorable to Poland’s entry into the euro zone (which did not happen), Donald Tusk breaks with the former governments and “stands turns more towards Europe”, relates Cédric Pellen. An attitude noticed in Brussels, where he ended up being called in December 2014 to chair the European Council. He then leads meetings between heads of state, while ensuring the external representation of the EU.

Donald Tusk takes up his European duties in a tense context. Still shaken by the financial crisis of 2008, the EU was worried about the annexation of Crimea by Russia. “Today, not only are Eurosceptics questioning the value of the EU, but the Union even has enemies. History has returned and we will not be able to face this tumultuous period without political unity”he declared during his first speech in Brussels in December 2014.

“The fact that a Pole was designated made an impression”traces to franceinfo a diplomat who passed through the European Council. His arrival marked the entry of a country from the former communist bloc as a major player in EU affairs.” Donald Tusk never hesitates to invoke Poland’s past during his speeches. “The EU is certainly not the best of all possible worlds. But I am sure that it is the best of all existing worlds”he assured in Brussels in September 2015, highlighting his experience as a man having “lived under a communist regime for half of [sa] life”.

“Donald Tusk is not a technician who likes figures, details. What he adores is big politics between states. He is a child of Poland, marked by the fight between communism and democracy.”

A European manager

at franceinfo

Described as “obsessed with the Russian threat”Donald Tusk also campaigns for a hardening of the European position vis-à-vis Moscow. “Almost every week, I had to publicly remind people that Russia was not our ‘strategic partner’, but our ‘strategic problem’, he himself writes in the European Council page reviewing his assessment. “He was also involved in the migration crisis, before participating in the Brexit negotiations”another European official, familiar with Council files, tells franceinfo.

Saving Poland from the decline of the rule of law

At the end of his mandate, in November 2019, the Pole took the head of the European People’s Party, which is right-wing and center-right. But at the same time, he is mainly thinking about relaunching himself in his country of origin. “His motivation is to save Poland from what he perceives as the decline of the rule of law, of democracy, of free media”confides this same source.

After taking over the reins of the Civic Platform in 2021, he is working to make his party the main opposition force in the country. But it is far from embodying renewal and struggles to convince public opinion beyond its historical voters, analyzes Dorota Dakowska, professor at Sciences Po Aix.

“Along with his rival Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Donald Tusk is one of the most hated figures in Polish politicseven agrees Valentin Behr. This election shows the low renewal of Polish political personnel, with central figures who were already there at the end of the 1990s.” Not enough to attract voters, in a country where the abstention rate is often around 50%.

“It’s as if, in France, we had a duel between Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande, but which has lasted for more than twenty years.”

Cédric Pellen, political scientist

at franceinfo

To capture progressive votes, Donald Tusk set a clear condition for those who wish to join his Civic Coalition: abortion must be authorized for all women who request it, up to 12 weeks of pregnancy, after consultation with a doctor. . A way of driving a wedge with the ultraconservatives of PiS, who made abortion almost impossible in 2020. Furthermore, far from his past austerity plans, the liberal now promises to increase family allowances, already inflated by the Worse in recent years.

The government’s pet peeve

Even if he did not succeed in bringing together all the opposition parties, he remains the main rival of PiS, which intends to beat him by all means. At the end of May, the ultraconservatives voted to create a “commission of inquiry into Russian influence”, capable of banning from public service for ten years any person recognized as close to Moscow. This controversial measure has been nicknamed “Lex Tusk”, or “Tusk law”, as it seems to target the person concerned. For having purchased Russian gas from Poland when he was Prime Minister, he was in fact accused of collusion by the PiS, which aroused the indignation of the European Parliament.

But the attacks don’t stop there. This Sunday, in parallel with the elections, the Polish government is organizing a referendum. The four questions asked of voters include all the main criticisms of PiS towards Donald Tusk, such as “Are you in favor of returning to retirement at 67 for everyone?”or “Are you in favor of the admission of thousands of illegal immigrants from the Middle East and Africa (…) imposed by the European bureaucracy?” A “a twisted move which still has a chance of influencing the vote”, alert Cédric Pellen.