Donald Tusk announced that the leaders of the other opposition parties entrusted him with the "difficult task of forming a government".
The four Polish groups that have been in the opposition so far have agreed on parliamentary cooperation and the establishment of a parliamentary majority, said Donald Tusk, president of the Civic Platform, at the opposition's press conference in Warsaw on Tuesday. As he said, the coalition supports him as prime minister candidate.
In addition to the chairman of the Civic Platform (PO), which leads the main opposition force, the Civic Coalition (KO), at the press conference held in the Sejm, Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, chairman of the Polish Peasant Party (PSL), Szymon Holownia, chairman of the Polska 2050 (Polska 2050) party, and Wlodzimierz Czarzasty, co-chairman of the New Left party, spoke.
"Today, together with the leaders of the democratic parties, we confirmed that
we are ready for full cooperation and the formation of a new majority in the future parliament"
Tusk said. He added that this is important information in light of the fact that President Andrzej Duda will begin two days of government formation negotiations with the parties that entered the parliament following the October 15 elections on Tuesday.
The president of the PO announced that the leaders of the other opposition groups entrusted him with the "difficult task of forming a government" as the president of the largest opposition party. He added:
the assignment ultimately depends on the decision of the head of state.
Kosiniak-Kamysz announced: at the government formation consultation, the head of state will be assured that the four groups have a "sufficient majority" to support the candidate for prime minister and to elect the president of the lower and upper houses of the parliament (Sejm and Senate).
Arguing that the block in question has 248 mandates in the 460-person Sejm and also has an absolute majority in the Senate, the president of the PSL judged that the head of state can "without delay" entrust the representative of the coalition of the four groups with the formation of the government. He indicated: "to avoid uncertainty" Andrzej Duda will be asked to convene the constituent session of the Sejm as quickly as possible.
Szymon Holownia also urged the opposition to form a government quickly.
Mr. President, there is no need to wait"
he declared. Government spokesman Piotr Müller confirmed on Tuesday: the current Polish ruling party, Law and Justice (PiS), would attempt to form a government if the head of state entrusted it to do so.
Following the elections, PiS won 194 seats in the lower house of parliament. According to the Polish constitution, the head of state must convene the inaugural session of the new parliament within thirty days of the day of the elections. At the meeting, the former prime minister will resign, and his cabinet will remain in office until the new government is installed.
As the first step in the formation of the government, the head of state appoints the person of the new prime minister. Andrzej Duda indicated before the elections: in accordance with customary law, he would entrust the winning party with the formation of a government.
(MTI)
Photo: MTI/EPA/PAP/Piotr Nowak