The Razem proposal and the government talks described by Polish political figures
In a political move from the left, the Razem Party was invited to join the government, with a proposal to the party leader Adrian Zandberg. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Affairs Krzysztof Gawkowski stated that Razem did not accept the offer. Maciej Gdula, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education, echoed the same sentiment. Zandberg responded that he would accept the role of deputy prime minister only if the coalition agreement included the left’s demands.
The Minister of Digital Affairs said he had offered Zandberg a place in the government. The offer was described as contingent on ensuring sufficient leftist influence within the coalition. Gawkowski added that there was a suggestion to step aside if the government could not meet specific left-wing criteria.
Anna Maria Żukowska, president of the Left Club, told PAP in an interview that the New Left had repeatedly invited Razem to join the government. She noted that members should avoid confrontation and taking on responsibility for the left’s performance in parliamentary and European elections.
Though Razem did not run in the European Parliament elections, the party’s leadership was viewed as potentially improving the results with Zandberg or Magdalena Biejat as candidates, according to the left’s leader.
During a RMF FM interview, Maciej Gdula spoke with a similar tone, challenging Razem to demonstrate how easily their demands could be implemented if they joined the government. He warned that assuming a reviewer role within the government would be a misalignment of duties.
Adrian Zandberg confirmed to PAP that he had received an offer to take the deputy prime minister position. He expressed interest in the role but emphasized that the government contract would need adjustments. He argued that there must be instruments to realize the left’s program, noting that the current agreement lacked them and that Razem would not accept a cosmetic deputy prime minister position.
The Razem leader named several essential instruments that should be included in the coalition contract: measures for the 1 percent of GDP to fund public housing construction and public health expenditure, investments in science and development, and funding for science and development initiatives. He stressed that these elements must be part of any agreement.
According to Zandberg, the six months of the coalition government underscored how crucial it is for the centre-right parties to sign a commitment that also reflects the left’s demands. He argued that the government’s programs differed from those of the left and that the left could not fulfill its election promises without a stronger partnership. He urged that the left be given a meaningful role.
Razem’s spokesperson Dorota Olko told PAP that the party is prepared to join the government if the coalition agreement can be renegotiated. She acknowledged that a broad coalition makes it impossible to implement the entire left program, given the divergent views within the coalition. The central aim, she said, was to ensure that the key left government demands could be implemented.
The Parliamentary Coalition Club of the Left, which includes Nowa Lewica, PPS, Razem, and Unia Pracy, has 24 MPs. Razem is part of this group but had not joined the government led by Donald Tusk. Other members of the club chose to participate in forming the government.
READ ALSO: The left’s internal disagreements and calls for accountability, including debates around Balt’s incident and responses to criticism of Konieczny, as well as discussions about whether the December 13 coalition remains viable and Bartoszewski and Żukowska’s remarks about the coalition’s future.
Source: wPolityce