Donald Tusk set to become Poland’s PM after vote of confidence

Donald Tusk is expected to become Poland’s prime minister this week, almost two months after a parliamentary election handed a majority to an alliance of opposition parties, Report informs referring to The Guardian.

His appointment will put an end to eight years of rule by the nationalist, populist Law and Justice (PiS) party.

The Tusk-led alliance won a clear majority of seats in the October 15 vote, but the country’s president, Andrzej Duda, a PiS ally, gave the incumbent prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, the first chance at forming a government, widely seen as a delaying tactic.

Morawiecki must present a new government to the Sejm, Poland’s lower house of parliament, on Monday, which will be followed by a vote of confidence. He is expected to fail. The Sejm then will nominate its own candidate, expected to be Tusk, who will present his government on Tuesday. After intense negotiations between prospective coalition partners, a cabinet has already been agreed.

Parliament will vote on Tusk’s government on December 12, and he could take office as soon as Wednesday, potentially enabling him to travel to a summit of EU leaders scheduled to take place on Thursday and Friday.