Polish Politics and Elections

[Storr]

Politico EU ranked Donald Tusk as the #1 most powerful person in Europe for 2023. They even included the pretentious sub-title "The wind of change".

[🇺🇦 Purple 🦄 Unicorn 🇮🇱]

2 weeks until the new Polish government.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Politico EU ranked Donald Tusk as the #1 most powerful person in Europe for 2023. They even included the pretentious sub-title "The wind of change".

That's a bit overwrought, but in fairness the current crop of European leaders is so paltry and uninspired that someone with Tusk's experience and international standing might be able to have an influence beyond what his country's position normally affords.

[Storr]

"Donald Tusk has confirmed the names of members of his government, which is likely to take office next week."

Radosław Sikorski – foreign affairs
Adam Bodnar – justice
Barbara Nowacka – education
Marzena Czarnecka – industry
Czesław Siekierski – agriculture and rural development
Andrzej Domański – finance
Dariusz Wieczorek – science and higher education
Adam Szłapka – Europe
Paulina Hennig-Kloska – climate and environment
Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz - deputy prime minister and defence
Borys Budka - state assets
Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk - family and social policy
Tomasz Siemoniak - security services
Izabela Leszczyna - health minister
Krzysztof Gawkowski - deputy prime minister and digital affairs
Katarzyna Kotula - equality minister (a new position)


https://twitter.com/notesfrompoland/status/1733098524668006889?s=20

[President Johnson]

"Donald Tusk has confirmed the names of members of his government, which is likely to take office next week."

Radosław Sikorski – foreign affairs
Adam Bodnar – justice
Barbara Nowacka – education
Marzena Czarnecka – industry
Czesław Siekierski – agriculture and rural development
Andrzej Domański – finance
Dariusz Wieczorek – science and higher education
Adam Szłapka – Europe
Paulina Hennig-Kloska – climate and environment
Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz - deputy prime minister and defence
Borys Budka - state assets
Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk - family and social policy
Tomasz Siemoniak - security services
Izabela Leszczyna - health minister
Krzysztof Gawkowski - deputy prime minister and digital affairs
Katarzyna Kotula - equality minister (a new position)


https://twitter.com/notesfrompoland/status/1733098524668006889?s=20

That's just for the Civic Platform, though? Third Way and The Left will also be part of the cabinet.

[M0096]

That list is not full list of ministers.
Very likely composition of Donald Tusk's 3rd cabinet:

Donald Tusk - prime minister
Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz - first deputy prime minister and defence
Krzysztof Gawkowski - second deputy prime minister and digital affairs

"constitutional" ministers (heads of ministries)
Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk - family and social policy
Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz - culture and national heritage
Sławomir Nitras - sport and tourism
Dariusz Klimczak - infrastructure
Czesław Siekierski - agriculture and rural development
Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz - regional development
Adam Domański - finance
Izabela Leszczyna - healthcare
Paulina Hennig-Kloska - climate and environment
Krzysztof Hetman - development and technology
Borys Budka - national assets
Marzena Czarnecka - industry
Barbara Nowacka - education
Dariusz Wieczorek - science and higher education
Marcin Kierwiński - interior and administration
Radosław Sikorski - foreign affairs
Adam Bodnar - justice

"non-constitutional" ministers:
Adam Szłapka - European affairs
Tomasz Siemoniak - security services
Katarzyna Kotula - equality
Agnieszka Buczyńska - civil society
Marzena Okła-Drewnowicz - senioral policy
Jan Grabiec - head of prime minister's office

Ministry of Education and Science will be spilt (again after 3 years) into Ministry of National Education and Ministry of Science and Higher Education.
Ministry of Industry will be formed from parts of Ministry of National Assets, Ministry of Climate and Environment and Ministry of Development and Technology. The ministry will be located somewhere in Upper Silesia (most likely Katowice).

[Storr]

Tusk also said on Friday that the new government would join the European Public Prosecutor's Office. That would leave Hungary and Sweden as the only EU countries without opt-outs to not be members of the EPPO. This an obvious first move in an effort to unblock €60 billion withheld by the EU due to PiS judicial "reforms" and other democratic backsliding.

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/poland-to-join-european-public-prosecutor-s-office-tusk-says-1.2008997

[MRCVzla]

As expected, Morawiecki fails to get confidence of the Sejm: 190 For/266 Against

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

As expected, Morawiecki fails to get confidence of the Sejm: 190 For/266 Against

What's the timeline for the Sejm making Duda appoint Tusk now?

[M0096]

Today, Donald Tusk will be appointed by Sejm.
Tomorrow at 9 AM, Tusk will deliver an accepting speech and later will be voted of confidence.
On Wednesday, Andrzej Duda will swear Tusk's government.

[President Johnson]

Today, Donald Tusk will be appointed by Sejm.
Tomorrow at 9 AM, Tusk will deliver an accepting speech and later will be voted of confidence.
On Wednesday, Andrzej Duda will swear Tusk's government.

I read that Duda is out of the country until Wednesday, potentially to drag it out for another one or two days.

Anyway, a lot to clean up for Tusk and his cabinet. Also seems like PiS destroyed several paper records in ministries lately to avoid potential legal consequences in the future.

[M0096]

Donald Tusk appointed by Sejm for position of Prime Minister.
248 - 201

[President Johnson]

Donald Tusk appointed by Sejm for position of Prime Minister.
248 - 201

248? Not a single defection from the coalition parties? That's off to a good start.

[M0096]

Donald Tusk appointed by Sejm for position of Prime Minister.
248 - 201

248? Not a single defection from the coalition parties? That's off to a good start.

Yes. 10 absents (9 from PiS and 1 from Konfederacja) + 1 vacancy (PiS seat)

[Storr]

Interesting timing. I'm sure it's a coincidence:

"🚩Ukraine reached agreements on unblocking parts of the Ukrainian-Polish border. The Yagodin-Dorohusk checkpoint was unblocked since 14:00 local time. Already 15 trucks passed into Ukraine while also 25 trucks are being processed to enter Poland."

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1734193888498242043?s=20

[Epaminondas]

Have met the Polish ambassador to Lithuania recently at a do, a real sourpuss.
Didn't have the nerve to ask whether he was happy about the election results, but isn't it likely that most PiS diplomatic will be dismissed?

[M0096]

Have met the Polish ambassador to Lithuania recently at a do, a real sourpuss.
Didn't have the nerve to ask whether he was happy about the election results, but isn't it likely that most diplomatic nominations will be voided?

Konstanty Radziwiłł is likely the first ambassador to be dismissed by new Foreign Affairs Minister Radosław Sikorski.

[CumbrianLefty]

Another reason why not having diplomats appointed by the government of the day is a good thing.

[Storr]

Interesting timing. I'm sure it's a coincidence:

"🚩Ukraine reached agreements on unblocking parts of the Ukrainian-Polish border. The Yagodin-Dorohusk checkpoint was unblocked since 14:00 local time. Already 15 trucks passed into Ukraine while also 25 trucks are being processed to enter Poland."

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1734193888498242043?s=20

My position on the truckers issue is that they have a right to protest, go on strike, and lobby the government. But they don't have a right to block international commerce.

"The Polish police began to deal with the local truckers who again tried to block the previously unblocked checkpoint near Dorohusk-Jagodzin."

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1734329481781756078?s=20

[M0096]

Grzegorz Braun (Konfederacja) disrupted Sejm session.

https://apnews.com/article/poland-hanukkah-menorah-lawmaker-antisemitism-ee59331c34e51d949fde794b3453886b

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Grzegorz Braun (Konfederacja) disrupted Sejm session.

https://apnews.com/article/poland-hanukkah-menorah-lawmaker-antisemitism-ee59331c34e51d949fde794b3453886b

From the Grauniad:

In footage circulating online, far-right Polish MP Grzegorz Braun puts out Hanukkah candles with a fire extinguisher in the parliament building.

Those around him can be heard saying: “you should be ashamed.”

He responds: “Those who take part in acts of the satanic cult should be ashamed.”

So he's not attempting to pretend this is motivated by something other than Judenhass. I respect his honesty, I guess.

Is this just antisemitism, though, or is it some sort of then-as-farce January 6-esque attempt to delay Tusk's inauguration even more?

[Storr]

Grzegorz Braun (Konfederacja) disrupted Sejm session.

https://apnews.com/article/poland-hanukkah-menorah-lawmaker-antisemitism-ee59331c34e51d949fde794b3453886b

The "controversies" section of Braun's Polish language wikipedia page is as enlightening as it is lengthy. Shoutout to whoever already added today's incident. [Screenshots translated using Google Chrome.]

Interestingly, despite Braun's many comments disparaging Protestantism and Judaism, there's no mention of him criticizing Orthodoxy. Maybe it's because if he did that, he wouldn't be allowed on Russian television anymore.

[President Johnson]

It's #PiSOver

[M0096]

Tusk's government vote of confidence:
248 - 201
9 absent, 1 excluded and 1 vacant

[Antonio the Sixth]

A glorious day for Poland and for Europe