Polish Parliament Approves Donald Tusk As Prime Minister Following Key Vote

The Polish parliament has endorsed Donald Tusk to become the new prime minister, following the defeat of current leader Mateusz Morawiecki in a crucial parliamentary vote on Monday. Morawiecki's populist Law and Justice (PiS) party faced a setback as it failed to secure a majority in October's elections. Despite this, President Andrzej Duda, a PiS ally, initially nominated Morawiecki to lead the government. However, Morawiecki's government faced a significant blow when it failed to secure a vote of confidence, opening the path for Donald Tusk to assume the role of prime minister. In the parliamentary vote, 190 MPs supported Morawiecki's government, while 266 voted against. Following this, the Sejm, the country's parliament, nominated Tusk to lead the nation. Tusk is expected to take office later this week. The October elections witnessed a coalition led by Tusk securing a majority of seats, with a historic turnout exceeding 70%. The coalition comprises Tusk's Civic Coalition (KO), the Third Way, and the Left. Although Morawiecki's PiS emerged as the largest party in the election, other political parties declined to collaborate with it, preventing the formation of a parliamentary majority. President Duda's nomination of Morawiecki further delayed the establishment of the new government for several weeks. The approval of Donald Tusk as prime minister marks a pivotal moment in Poland's political landscape. Donald Tusk was the former prime minister of Poland from 2007 to 2014 and later the European Council president, has been chosen to assume the role of prime minister once again. This decision comes after the current leader, Mateusz Morawiecki, faced a significant defeat in a parliamentary vote. The newly appointed prime minister is set to unveil his cabinet on Tuesday, and among the expected nominations is Radoslaw Sikorski, who previously served as the foreign minister under Tusk's leadership. Anticipation runs high for the new coalition government, led by Tusk, as he has promised a series of measures aimed at reversing the effects of eight years of Law and Justice (PiS) rule. One of the key pledges involves restoring the independence of the judiciary, which the government asserts has been systematically undermined during previous administrations. The unveiling of the cabinet and the outlined measures will be closely watched as Poland enters a new phase under Tusk's leadership.