President Andrzej Duda acts in accordance with the constitution, delays nothing and has perfect timing – Marcin Mastalerek, head of the President’s Office, told Polsat News on Friday. He emphasized that “the majority of the government is not determined in the media, but in the Sejm.”
“The president is not delaying anything.”
The presidential minister was asked why President Andrzej Duda “waited to appoint a candidate for prime minister.”
I fully understand the perspective of both social media, Twitter and news television, (…) but the opposite is true: the President, acting in accordance with the Constitution, is acting at a normal pace, not delaying anything. With respect to the perspective of the increasingly fast-paced world of Polish media, both news and social media, the president’s timing is perfect. I think everything is fine
– replied Mastalerek.
He added that during the consultations the president informed representatives of all parties that he will not shorten the term of the Sejm and that in his opinion nothing has happened that should prompt him to do so.
He noted that in this situation, the president would take steps “calmly, according to plan and in accordance with the times.”
When Mastalerek was asked what he thinks the president is considering when it comes to the name of the candidate for prime minister, he said that “it has been confirmed that the parties have not yet reached a coalition agreement and have not yet reached an agreement on the program issues.”
We hear different voices, there is different media information every day and the purpose of this consultation was to hear what they would say during that consultation, what their opinion was, what their legal bodies and their political parties would decide. And today it is time for Mr. President to think about it very seriously, because it is a serious matter
– he said.
““The votes have to be counted there.”
To the comment that parliamentary arithmetic shows very clearly that PO leader Donald Tusk will become prime minister, Mastalerek replied that “we will find out in the parliamentary chamber.”
That’s where you have to count the votes, as Donald Tusk once said in 1992. It is not the media that determines what the government majority is, but the parliamentary chamber. And depending on the time and according to plan, it will be announced by the President first and then implemented
– he pointed out.
Asked whether the president would wait to make the decision until the outcome of the vote during the first session of the Sejm of the new term, Mastalerek emphasized that he would not inquire about the matter before the president announced it. He added that he did not know if this would happen before November 13.
Consultation in the presidential palace
Andrzej Duda, who on Thursday summarized the two-day consultation with representatives of the electoral commissions that will be represented in the next Sejm, announced that the date he has provisionally scheduled for the first session of the Sejm of the 10th term will be Monday 13 November will be. “I see no reason to shorten the current term of office,” he added.
The president also highlighted that there are two political groups that claim to have a parliamentary majority and have a candidate for prime minister. The United Right’s candidate for prime minister is Mateusz Morawiecki, and the candidate for KO, Third Way and Left is Donald Tusk.
In the Sejm elections, PiS won 194 seats, KO – 157; Third way – 65; New Left – 26; Confederacy – 18.
The constitution provides for three possible steps in selecting the government after the elections. In the first, the President plays a major role, who, among other things, appoints the Prime Minister, taking into account that the government he proposes must receive the support of an absolute majority in the Sejm in order to receive a vote of confidence. If this attempt fails, the Sejm takes the initiative. Then the Prime Minister and the government need an absolute majority of votes in the presence of at least half of the legal number of deputies. If parliamentarians fail to form a government, the initiative returns to the president and a simple majority is needed for a vote of confidence.
“Real conclusions need to be drawn.”
Andrzej Duda has never been the type of party activist and I don’t think he wants to be one; However, it will be an essential element for the right wing to survive and win, Marcin Mastalerek, head of the President’s Office, told Polsat News on Friday.
The presidential minister was asked whether he saw such “strength and ability” for PiS to still win the elections, or whether the party would have to “penite” for 2-3 terms in opposition.
Mastalerek said that “it is not unusual to lose in politics” and that this is the essence of democracy.
However, this camp – the right-wing, conservative, independence and patriotic camp – was losing. He was able to reorganize himself and then win
– he pointed out. When asked whether – in his opinion – PiS needs a reorganization today, the politician said this was clear.
(President of PiS) Jarosław Kaczyński lost and was able to get up and win. But today we must face the truth, we must draw real conclusions. You can’t lie to yourself, you can’t fool yourself, (you have to) change and move forward
– he pointed.
Andrzej Duda, leader of the United Right?
Mastalerka was also asked whether he would be a suitable candidate for the leader of the United Right in 2025 – when President Andrzej Duda ends his mission in the presidential palace. The politician responded that “President Andrzej Duda has never been a party activist.” In response to the comment that Andrzej Duda was active in PiS, Mastalerek said:
I was a party activist, I was active on Nowogrodzka Street, I had previously been active in structures, in the youth organization.
President Andrzej Duda entered politics as a patron who joined the government, later he had the honor of being a minister in the office of President Lech Kaczyński, later he became a parliamentarian and was always known for drafting laws in parliament worked and represented him for that. the Constitutional Court. He was always concerned with substantive matters. (…) He has never been an activist type and I don’t think he ever wants to be
– he pointed out.
So I don’t see it. The president has no such ambitions. But one thing is certain: Andrzej Duda is the symbol of 2015. (…) It was not a good change, it was +Duda-change+, because Andrzej Duda broke the system then, he is the symbol of the elections he won then.
– added.
When asked whether Andrzej Duda is a “symbol and sentiment” until the election victory, Mastalerek denied this.
This will be an essential element for the right wing to survive and win.
When asked what the former president’s role would be, Mastalek said:
We will see whether this right-wing, conservative independence camp can position itself well against President Duda.
Because they should worry about the president being active from time to time and playing a certain role on the political scene, because it is not clear that the right wing in Poland will be PiS and United Right.
– he said.
He cited examples from other European countries, including France and Italy. For example, he asked what the current position of the Forza Italia party is in the Italian government.
He is the little brother of Giorgia Meloni’s party
– he pointed out.
“Such an MP would be banned from the media.
Andrzej Duda knows his duties very well; The job of the President of the Republic of Poland is not to block anyone – the head of the President’s Office, Marcin Mastalerek, emphasized in Polsat News, when asked about the words of Daniel Milewski (PiS) that: “the task of PiS, as well as of Mr. President, today is to prevent (PO head) Donald Tusk from being the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland.
Mastalerek, citing Milewski’s words, also said that when he was PiS spokesperson, “such an MP would have been banned from the media.”
The head of the President’s Office was asked why President Duda hesitates to whom to entrust the mission of forming a government.
Because the formations present at the consultation nominated two candidates for the premiership, and both KO, Lewica and Trzecia Droga assured that they had a majority, and PiS representatives assured that they could build this majority
– he emphasized. The United Right’s candidate for prime minister is Mateusz Morawiecki, and the candidate for KO, Third Way and Left is Donald Tusk.
“‘Anything is possible in Polish politics’
Asked whether he believed PiS would have a majority in the new Sejm, the presidential minister said it was not a matter of faith.
It is enough to remember 2005 and the media coalition of PO-PiS Law and Justice and the Civic Platform, and then see what remains of this coalition and what happened afterwards. Everything is possible in Polish politics, that’s what I learned
– he said.
Milewski’s words
Mastalerek also referred to the words of PiS MP Daniel Milewski, who said on Polsat News on Thursday that “the task of PiS, as well as that of Mr. President, today is to prevent (PO leader) Donald Tusk from becoming Prime Minister of Poland. .”
I would not like to lecture or advise anyone within the PiS party, because it is not my role, but – in response to these words from the PiS MP – I must say that when I was the PiS spokesperson and was responsible for the PiS media policy in 2015, such an MP would receive a media ban
– said the presidential minister, referring to Milewski’s statement.
President (Andrzej) Duda knows his duties very well and I assure you that the job of the President of the Republic of Poland is not to block anyone
– Mastalerek commented. As he added, Milewski “was not telling the truth because President Duda does not treat the honorable position of the President of the Republic of Poland in this way.”
Mastalerek also pointed out that it is clear that the president comes from the PiS environment and that cooperation between the president and the government has been good over the past eight years.
It is also clear that if in the future the President needs to cooperate – that is, there will be cohabitation – with a different environment, President Andrzej Duda will be open and cooperative. We will see – or we will not see, because we do not know
– noted the presidential minister.
He explained that the limits of cooperation are determined by the constitution and the good or bad will of the “other side,” because “the good will of President Andrzej Duda is always there.”
Asked whether the president would enter into negotiations with a possible coalition of KO, Third Way and Left on changes to the National Council for the Judiciary or public television, Mastalerek said the president would have to see the laws to refer to them.
I don’t think President Duda wants to be an easy excuse for a possible future coalition, and today for the opposition on any issue. However, it is no secret today that the president had a different opinion than the opposition parties on the judiciary or on other matters.
– he pointed out
kk/PAP
Source: wPolityce