pro-European opposition signs coalition agreement and says it is “ready to govern”

Although the ultra-conservative party in power came first in the legislative elections, it does not have a majority to form a government.

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Polish opposition leaders Szymon Hołownia and Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz of the Third Voice party, Donald Tusk of the Civil Coalition, and Włodzimierz Czarzasty and Robert Biedron of the Left party, after signing a government agreement, the November 10, 2023 in Warsaw (Poland).  (WOJTEK RADWANSKI / AFP)

One more step towards the formation of a government. The Polish liberal opposition parties signed a coalition agreement on Friday, November 10, which should serve as a “roadmap” for the alliance if it comes to power. While the ruling conservative camp won the largest number of seats in October’s legislative elections, it is unable to form a majority. The Civic Coalition came second, but the pro-European opposition alliance won a majority of 248 seats out of the 460 in the lower house of Parliament.

“We really want the Poles who went to vote with so much hope to see that, from now on, we are ready to take responsibility for our country and for the years to come”, said Donald Tusk, leader of the liberal opposition bloc Civic Coalition. He spoke alongside his counterparts from the centrist Third Voice coalition and the left. “When I look at you, you remind me of the Avengers with their superpowers,” said co-leader of the left Robert Biedroń, referring to the heroes of this comic strip.

The head of the PIS responsible for forming a government

Alliance leaders jointly called on President Andrzej Duda to appoint Donald Tusk as Prime Minister. The head of state, however, chose to entrust the mission of forming a government to his allies in the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party. The contours of an alliance around PiS, however, seem unclear, because the party, which won 194 seats, does not have credible options to achieve a majority. Donald Tusk, former prime minister and head of the Council of Europe, accused the Polish president of “play for time” by choosing Morawiecki.


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