Exactly one year after the elections, Confederation MPs Bartłomiej Pejo and Witold Tumanowicz argued that the government led by Donald Tusk had delivered barely a third of the promised “+100 specifics for the first 100 days,+” warning the country was sliding toward crisis and anarchy. They urged lawmakers to begin talks about a constitutional reset through dialogue.
October 15 marked the one-year anniversary since the parliamentary elections, which brought to power a coalition of KO, PSL, Derde Weg and Nieuw Links, ending PiS’s two terms in office.
One year after the elections, Poland faces what these opponents describe as a deepening crisis and a drift toward anarchy.
Pejo stated at a press conference that the situation warranted closer scrutiny and a candid discussion about constitutional changes to reframe the political landscape.
Examples of unfulfilled promises
He noted that Prime Minister Tusk has completed roughly thirty of the promised one hundred measures for the first 100 days.
The list included raising the tax-free allowance to 60,000 PLN, a reform that has not materialized; free perinatal anesthesia that has not been introduced; and a plan for medical visits to be scheduled via SMS and email that never materialized.
He added that these items illustrate a broader pattern of promises left unkept.
Record budget deficit
The opposition argues the country has reached a record budget deficit near 300 billion złoty, a level they say even PiS did not reach with similar programs.
The Southern MP stressed that the ruling coalition had promised greater transparency in state-backed companies. He argued that governance in those enterprises has become fragmented across the political spectrum, from left to right.
According to Tumanowicz, the prime minister appears to have little grip on policy, citing the alleged fragility of state-owned firms and predicting trouble for companies such as PKP Cargo and Azoty Puławy.
Opinion of the Venice Commission
The MPs argued that advice from the Venice Commission itself supported the current coalition while warning that restoring the rule of law should not, by itself, disrupt the system.
They stressed that, even so, discussions on a constitutional reset would continue as a way to address concerns about the judiciary and governance without eroding European standards.
Confederation politicians emphasized that, despite unfulfilled promises, they remain open to talks on the constitutional reset. The proposed reset would involve changes to the Constitution and a reconfiguration of the National Council of the Judiciary, the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court, with the possibility of re-election or expansion of their ranks.
They renewed their call for all political parties and leaders to sit down and discuss the constitutional reset.
“100 special events during 100 days”
During the campaign autumn, KO floated a plan called the 100 special events for the first 100 days. Proposals included raising the tax-free allowance, unblocking EU funds, launching a child subsidy program, financing in vitro through the state budget, expanding access to emergency contraception, and allowing abortion up to the 12th week in certain circumstances, along with a 30% wage increase for teachers, depoliticizing public media, reducing political influence on the judiciary, holding the PiS administration to account, and returning to a flat-rate system for health insurance contributions.
The Venice Commission, the Council of Europe’s constitutional-law body, pointed to the debate around neo-KRS judges and suggested that automatic removal of these judges would not align with European standards. It called for individual verification procedures that allow for appeal in case of negative assessments and noted that such reviews should not take excessively long and could be handled in groups where appropriate.
In the October 15, 2023 Sejm elections, PiS received the most votes but fell short of a majority. A new government led by Mateusz Morawiecki failed to win a confidence vote, while Donald Tusk’s coalition—comprising KO, Trzecia Droga (PSL and Polska 2050) and the New Left—secured confidence and was sworn in on December 13, 2023.
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