Following Karol Nawrocki’s victory in the presidential election, a political power struggle is unfolding in Poland, in which Donald Tusk finds himself on the defensive. Die Zeit writes that the election result “has intensified the conflict that has accompanied the pro-European government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk since he took office a year and a half ago.” According to Die Zeit, “it is uncertain whether Tusk’s government will survive until the next parliamentary elections in 2027.” “In any case, under Kaczyński’s leadership, PiS has its own plan: it wants to dismantle Tusk’s government. The less the prime minister is able to achieve, the stronger the impression of a torn, powerless coalition,” the paper notes.
“There Is a Risk of Continued Obstructionism”
The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) discusses the economic consequences of the presidential election in Poland. According to commentator Andreas Mihm, the election result is “a bitter disappointment.”
“Although Karol Nawrocki may be a political unknown, the promotion of a nationalist-chauvinist historian to the highest office in the country is a worrying signal. There is a risk of a continuation of the obstructionist approach taken by President Andrzej Duda of the PiS party, which was ousted from power in 2023, by vetoing necessary reforms. Donald Tusk’s pro-EU government does not have enough MPs to override presidential vetoes. Political paralysis and instability, along with the lack of reform of a judiciary previously subordinated by the former government, are hindering a fresh start. Financial markets have reacted coolly to the election winner, who is supported by MAGA-aligned influencers: stock prices and the złoty have fallen,”
FAZ journalist reports.
Mihm notes that despite everything, the Polish economy is doing very well, and its GDP growth is among the highest in the EU.
“However, this recovery does not give Donald Tusk any political momentum. From a political standpoint, he is and remains a “lame duck.” The announced vote of confidence no longer sounds like a new beginning, but rather like a defensive manoeuvre,”
Mihm writes.
Meanwhile, public broadcaster ARD correspondent Martin Adam comments on the ongoing political struggle in Poland. In his view, Tusk knows that the new president, closely aligned with PiS, will likely try to obstruct the government as much as possible. “He needs a signal of unity: both domestically and externally toward the EU, which released over 100 billion euros of previously frozen funds after his appointment as prime minister—as a vote of confidence for the upcoming reforms, the implementation of which now seems unlikely.”
Tusk “is counting on the parliamentary majority of his government. However, he apparently surprised his own coalition partners with his idea. They too want to use this moment and—as in the case of Sejm Speaker Szymon Hołownia—seek to renegotiate the coalition agreement,” reports the ARD correspondent on tagesschau.de.
The weekly Die Zeit reiterates that the election result “has intensified the conflict that has accompanied the pro-European government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk since he took office a year and a half ago.”
It assesses that “it is uncertain whether Tusk’s government will survive until the next parliamentary elections in 2027.” “In any case, PiS under Kaczyński has its own plan: it wants to dismantle Tusk’s government. The less the prime minister can achieve, the stronger the image of a divided, powerless coalition. Following their candidate’s election victory, the path now seems set. PiS not only wants to secure the presidency but is also preparing its return to power,” reads Die Zeit.