Two years after his success, the Prime Minister gives the impression of a politician who has failed – writes Jan Puhl in the latest issue of the German weekly Der Spiegel, noting polling results in which “nationalist parties” – a term used by DW, which published the article on its website – are once again pulling ahead of Civic Coalition (KO). Interestingly, Puhl believes the Prime Minister’s weakness stems from his “shift to the right,” which even his own electorate does not believe in.
Tusk is weakening
The author of the article does not hide his disappointment with Tusk’s approach, stating that he is leading the party into growing chaos and a loss of popularity.
“The Prime Minister gives the impression of a discouraged and tired politician,” assessed the Der Spiegel journalist. He also writes that if Poland once again falls entirely into the hands of national conservatives, it would not only be a political but also a personal defeat for Tusk.
Puhl describes the Prime Minister as a man who “dreams of an open, tolerant Poland rooted in the EU, critical of Germany yet pragmatically tied to it, and alert to Russia.”
On the DW website, it is stated that “according to many observers, the main responsibility for the current situation lies with the Prime Minister himself. The presidential campaign is seen as a string of failures and misjudgments.” “Tusk is worn out,” Der Spiegel quotes Antoni Dudek.
Puhl critically evaluated Tusk’s electoral manoeuvre of politically “shifting to the right” in order to gain support for Rafał Trzaskowski in the provinces. He cited the slogan of “repolonization” and the celebration of the 1,000th anniversary of Bolesław Chrobry “in a style more fitting for PiS.”
“The problem for Tusk is that no one believes in his shift to the right,” Puhl concludes. He also criticises the conservative forces within the ruling coalition, especially their opposition to, for example, liberalising abortion laws.
As a “radical pragmatist,” as the German author calls Tusk, “he has been unable to offer voters a positive narrative about his governing mission.”
Puhl also wonders whether Tusk will complete his term or appoint Radosław Sikorski as Prime Minister.