The political stance associated with Tusk has drawn sharp criticism for being overly self-serving and centralized, a pattern that many voters and opposition figures find ill-suited to mobilize a broad coalition. In Gazeta Wyborcza, editor Jacek Żakowski laments that such traits limit the appeal needed from a future prime minister, casting Rafał Trzaskowski as a reluctant but necessary lifeline for the opposition.
Weakness and fear
From the pages of Wyborcza, it is clear that Żakowski is restless and unsettled by the mood on the ground. He argues that the opposition camp cannot simply ride a wave of polls to victory. The real challenge, he suggests, lies not in winning over PO supporters alone but in energizing “non-PiS voters” who have remained disengaged from the current government.
Concerns about the autumn ahead dominate the conversation, as Żakowski recalls the recent misfires of the alliance against PiS. The collapse of a joint list, the unrealistic pursuit of a shared minimum program, and the failed plan for a synchronized march on Sunday, June 4 all feed a sense that an exchange of a “last chance” candidate for broader voter appeal is becoming more plausible.
As the glass ceiling of public distrust rises, Donald Tusk reportedly turned to Rafał Trzaskowski for help, a point reiterated in Wyborcza.
The tandem works in tandem, yet it may not be the most efficient path, Żakowski notes, raising questions about who will gain more from this pairing: Tusk or Trzaskowski? He ponders whether the previously whispered talks about a joint list could yield more gains than losses.
Last Chance Candidate
Żakowski concedes that continuing to mix the same dilemmas will not sweeten the opposition’s prospects. He suggests there is still a need to introduce something meaningful into the platform. He argues that Trzaskowski aligning with Tusk would not automatically resolve the impasse.
Options are limited, but one viable route is the designation of a spitzenkandidat — a future joint prime minister. Żakowski reiterates that Tusk’s leadership style is well known as assertive and sometimes divisive, traits that may dampen broad enthusiasm among voters and opposition leaders alike.
According to Żakowski, Tusk remains an effective leader within the Civic Platform, but he is unlikely to be the right figure to unite the opposition because of deep-seated conflicts within the camp.
Calls for a leadership shift intensify as traditional paths to a polling breakthrough fail. If confidence and energy among Democratic voters wane, the proposed remedy becomes Trzaskowski — not as the leader of PO or KO, but as a discreetly agreed upon spitzenkandidat. If implemented, this could represent a last-ditch effort to change power dynamics in the fall.
Ultimately, Żakowski notes that for some time now the media spotlight has shifted toward guiding the opposition toward a lifeline outside of Donald Tusk. The circle of potential beneficiaries appears to be narrowing, with Wyborcza increasingly positioned as a driver of the opposition’s strategy rather than a simple commentator.
rdm/ Gazeta Wyborcza
Citation: as reported in Gazeta Wyborcza via wPolityce