The Government Information Center reported that Prime Minister Donald Tusk dismissed Gertruda Uścińska from her role as chairman of the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS). The move followed a request to remove her from office submitted to the Prime Minister by Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, who serves as the Minister of Family, Labor and Social Policy. The minister later explained the decision in a post on the X platform, noting that new challenges facing social security under the current coalition government require a different approach to governance at such a pivotal institution.
Speaking publicly, she stressed that the changes are prompted by the evolving needs of the welfare system and the aim to ensure responsible management and effective delivery of benefits to citizens. The statement underscored a commitment to adapt to a shifting policy landscape and to align leadership at ZUS with contemporary expectations of oversight and accountability.
Officials from CIR confirmed that the Prime Minister removed Uścińska from her position on Wednesday, reinforcing the government’s intent to refresh the leadership of ZUS. In the same communications cycle, the government indicated that a new president for ZUS would be announced in the following week, signaling a deliberate transition rather than a rapid, ad hoc reshuffle.
Uścińska had led ZUS since February 2016, guiding the agency through numerous reforms and adjustments to pension and social security administration over nearly a decade. The formal process for appointing or removing the ZUS chairman follows the legal framework established by the law of 13 October 1998 on the social security system, which entrusts the Prime Minister with appointment and dismissal at the request of the minister responsible for social security. This statutory pathway ensures that such changes are executed with jurisdictional clarity and parliamentary accountability.
As the government prepares for a transition, observers in the policy space anticipate that the upcoming leadership will be tasked with steering ZUS through ongoing fiscal pressures, digital modernization efforts, and the continued alignment of social protections with the needs of a changing workforce. The maneuver is viewed as a signal that the administration intends to bring a new perspective to the management of social welfare programs at a moment of political recalibration and heightened public scrutiny.
Analysts and stakeholders are watching for the criteria that will guide the appointment of the next ZUS president, including experience in public administration, demonstrated commitment to transparency, and the ability to navigate the complexities of social insurance policy in a dynamic economic environment. The transition is framed as part of a broader administrative refresh designed to strengthen governance and public confidence in the administration of essential social services.
Future developments are expected to be communicated by the government as the search for a successor progresses, with emphasis on ensuring continuity of services for beneficiaries while introducing leadership that can drive forward reforms in pension administration, social security delivery, and related policy initiatives. The ongoing reassessment underscores a practical approach to public sector leadership in a time of change and renewal.
Source: wPolityce (citations provided for attribution; no external hyperlinks included in this article).