How the PiS is delaying the turnaround in Poland

How the PiS is delaying the turnaround in Poland

With a satisfied grin, Polish President Andrzej Duda signs the certificate of appointment for Mateusz Morawiecki's new national-conservative PiS government. He then holds the red-bound document up to the cameras. Applause. The ceremonial appointment in the presidential palace is pure theater. Because Morawiecki's PiS has no majority in the new parliament - and no coalition partner either.

The parliamentary election on October 15 was won by someone else: former EU Council President Donald Tusk. He has a three-party alliance of pro-European parties with a clear parliamentary majority behind him. The coalition agreement has been signed and the division of portfolios has been decided. Tusk could get started immediately.

Nevertheless, on Monday afternoon, Duda swore in a cabinet with no chance of winning, which, apart from Morawiecki and Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak, includes many little-known politicians. He is pleased about the high proportion of women and the many young people in the cabinet, says Duda. It sounds almost cynical: women and young people are being used for a suicide mission, say some critics.

Media mock the "two-week government"

In 14 days at the latest, Morawiecki will have to face a vote of confidence in parliament - and his cabinet will fail resoundingly. Polish media are mocking the "two-week government" and "Morawiecki's nativity play".

For more than seven weeks, Poles have been witnessing this bizarre PiS production. It is actually clear to everyone that Donald Tusk will take over the government in the end. However, the right-wing populists, who have ruled the country since 2015, are still clinging to their seats after losing power.

In Brussels and Berlin, people are hopefully waiting for a change of government in Warsaw. After all, the PiS was in a permanent quarrel with the EU Commission over its judicial reform and was annoying the German government with its demand for trillions of euros in world war reparations. Tusk and his fellow campaigners, on the other hand, stand for a pro-European course and a more conciliatory policy towards Germany. The 66-year-old from Gdansk was Poland's head of government from 2007 to 2014.

It may take until shortly before Christmas before he becomes head of government again. The PiS is pursuing several goals with its delaying tactics. It wants to spoil the start for Tusk - an arch-enemy of party leader Jaroslaw Kacznyski. It can use the time to maneuver protégés into lucrative positions. Polish media also report that a lot of data is currently being destroyed in the ministries. First and foremost, however, the PiS wants to save its image in front of its own voters, says political scientist Antoni Dudek. "This is a demonstration that the party is fighting and not giving up." If the new PiS government passes through parliament as expected, party leader Kaczynski will probably explain to the electorate that Donald Tusk is to blame because he put pressure on MPs to refuse to support Morawiecki.

The PiS is not considered capable of forming a coalition

The PiS has an ally for its maneuvers in the presidential palace. Head of state Duda himself comes from its ranks. It was he who commissioned Morawiecki to form the government despite the majority in parliament. And Duda apparently wants to exhaust all the deadlines provided for in the constitution to the maximum.

Although the PiS became the strongest parliamentary group in the election with 194 out of 460 seats, it is not considered capable of forming a coalition. For weeks, Morawiecki made allusions to alleged exploratory talks with the previous opposition parties and individual MPs. However, he was met with a resounding response from all camps: We are not holding talks and we do not want a coalition with the PiS. "We have to face the sad fact that someone who talks to non-existent people will be Poland's head of government for another two weeks," blasphemed Szymon Holownia, leader of the Third Way and newly elected speaker of parliament.

From the moment he is sworn in, Morawiecki has until December 11 to call a vote of confidence. Parliament President Holownia expects that Donald Tusk's new government could take office on December 11 or 12. However, President Duda has the final say here too. His office said that the president wants to swear in Tusk on December 13. That would be another malicious act. Because on December 13, 1981, the then communist regime imposed martial law - a black hour in Poland's history.

Despite the parliamentary election win by Donald Tusk's coalition, President Duda appointed a PiS government led by Mateusz Morawiecki, who lacks a majority in the new parliament. Critics argue that women and young politicians are being used for a "suicide mission" by being included in this government.

The PiS government, with a predicted failure in the upcoming vote of confidence, has been labeled as the "two-week government" by the media. President Duda, despite knowing Tusk's coalition has a majority, continues to prolong the process, potentially to save face before PiS voters and maneuver protégés into powerful positions.

Source: www.dpa.com