In a joint statement planned for early next week, opposition leaders are set to declare that they have reached agreement on the key issues: a coalition governs with a solid majority in the Sejm; it is understood that Donald Tusk will serve as Prime Minister, a fact confirmed by Mariusz Witczak of the KO party when speaking to PAP.
When asked in a recent interview whether it had been decided that the opposition leaders would issue a joint statement next week, the politician answered affirmatively. He added, the leaders will likely say that they have formed a coalition, enjoy a strong Sejm majority, and intend to govern in harmony over the coming four years.
What the leaders will present is the consensus: an agreement on the main issues, the expectation that Donald Tusk will become Prime Minister, and a sense that this is a settled arrangement.
— noted Witczak.
Asked whether the joint statement would announce a coalition agreement signing or merely signal joint governance, the politician replied that formalities would not be their focus, though he did not rule out potential signings of agreements.
“I would remind you that in 2007 the government operated without a coalition agreement with PSL. In 2011 it was similar. We ran with PSL for eight years without a coalition pact, so I don’t attach much importance to it,” he said.
— he added.
“The priority is responsibility and competence, not paper records,”
he emphasized.
“It gives PiS time.”
President Andrzej Duda is seen as playing the PiS game. If he does not entrust the mission of forming the government to Mateusz Morawiecki or Elżbieta Witek, some observers argue that he may be attempting to buy time for PiS to sweep issues under the rug, according to MP Mariusz Witczak of KO who spoke to PAP.
Next Tuesday and Wednesday, at the president’s invitation, consultations will be held in the Presidential Palace with representatives from the various electoral committees that will be represented in the next Sejm. The meetings will occur with each election committee separately, in order of the results those committees achieved in the elections.
The president’s approach is seen by some as damaging. It is argued that the president appears to prioritize party interests over those of Poles, even as it is clear who holds the parliamentary majority today, Witczak added.
The democratic opposition parties were given a strong mandate by society to govern; they won the Senate and the Sejm, and are projected to hold 248 seats as a result.
“I cannot recall any government in the last thirty years that commanded such a large parliamentary majority. This is a powerful mandate. In the previous term, PiS sought to buy votes and assemble a majority; today the situation feels stable,” Witczak noted.
He also stressed that it is the Polish people who decided who holds the parliamentary majority, not secret negotiations. Consequently, he argued, President Duda should entrust the government-forming mission to the person chosen by the parliamentary majority.
“Any alternative move by the president would only buy PiS more time.”
The politician pointed to growing chatter that the president might call the first Sejm session at the latest possible date, around November 13 or 14. If the president does not act promptly and instead transfers the mission to Morawiecki or to Elżbieta Witek, it would suggest a delay of about two more weeks, Witczak argued. Such a delay would be regrettable, yet it would also reinforce the view that the president has not been above partisan calculations, he suggested.
“The president’s handling of constitutional deadlines could be viewed as giving PiS time to manage the situation.”
Witczak added that allowing delays would be detrimental to the state’s interests, particularly if it slows the release of KPO funds needed for recovery. The coalition aims to move quickly to implement those measures, he said.
Poland’s recovery following the leadership of Jarosław Kaczyński remains a priority for the coalition, which has broad public support. There is a strong focus on accessing KPO funds, ensuring Poland’s continued role in the EU, and presenting a robust national standing on the international stage. The parties that won the elections and are poised to hold nearly 250 Sejm seats are expected to make public the key agenda items.
On the question of unblocking EU funds from the KPO, Witczak was asked about Donald Tusk’s upcoming visit to Brussels. He described the trip as signaling to the European Commission and EU bodies that the Polish elections favored pro-EU parties committed to restoring the rule of law in Poland.
“During their eight years in power, they were seen as pioneers in utilizing EU funds and as a model of institutional order in Europe and in the world. They built a strong democratic constitutional state and possess a positive history and a strong social mandate. This stands as a clear signal to EU structures.”
Witczak argued that it is already clear that the money will be released, as the European Commission knows the new government will restore norms around the rule of law. The president could oppose it, but such opposition would be a direct challenge to the sovereign decision. He has faced this before, but the current situation is more complicated now; blocking the change could be highly problematic, Witczak suggested.
“The money will be released, and the EU understands that the new government will restore the rule of law.”
The first Sejm session after November 11 is also in the spotlight. Presidential officials indicated that the formation of a new government would align with the election results and the constitutional timetable, with observers waiting to see who would be entrusted with the mission to form the government. The exact timing of the first Sejm session remains tied to constitutional deadlines and the decisions of the president.
As the political landscape shifts, the endgame remains focused on unblocking funds, solidifying the coalition’s mandate, and confirming the next steps in government formation. The public and international observers will be watching closely as the parties outline their shared path forward.
[Source: wPolityce]