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WARSAW, Poland (AP) – Donald Tuska leader of a centrist party, returned as Poland’s prime minister for the first time in nearly a decade after parliamentary elections on Monday, paving the way for a government new member of the European Union after eight years of the power of the country’s conservative administration.
Tusk, a former EU leader who served as president of the European Council from 2014-2019 and has strong ties to Brussels, is expected to improve Warsaw’s position in the bloc’s capital. He was the prime minister of Poland from 2007-2014.
Tusk’s rise to power came almost two months after the election won in a combination of categories ranging from the left side to the left side. The parties ran on separate documents, but promised to work together under Tusk’s leadership to restore democratic standards and improve relationships with partners.
The change of power is felt to be very important for the 38 million citizens of the Central European nation, where the collective anger against the Law and Justice party has achieved a record high to replace a government that believes the majority. undermine democratic standards.
Law and Justice, which took office in 2015, increased its power over courts and judicial institutions, and exposed accusations from the EU and others that it undermines judicial independence. Taxpayer-funded public broadcasters also turned into party mouthpieces.
The vote was 248-201 to support Tusk in the 460-seat lower house of parliament, the Sejm, without a tie.
“Thank you Poland, this is a wonderful day,” Tusk said in a short speech. “Not only for me, but for all those who believed deeply these many years … everything will be fine.”
On Tuesday, Tusk is scheduled to make a more important speech in front of the parliament, to present his Cabinet and face the vote of confidence for his new government. Then President Andrzej Duda will have to swear him in, a step planned for Wednesday morning.
Tusk’s vote came after former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki lost a confidence vote in parliament earlier in the day.
The elections marked the end of eight turbulent years in which Law and Justice ruled the country with the support of many Poles – but at odds with Poles and the 27-nation EU and other partners in the West.
The leadership of Tusk as the fifth member of the EU by population will strengthen the centrist, pro-EU during the eurosceptics, as Geert Wilders in the Netherlandsstrength is gained.
The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen could not contain her joy in congratulating Tusk.
“Your experience and strong commitment to our European values will be essential in building a strong Europe, for the benefit of the Polish people,” he tweeted. “I look forward to working with you, starting with this week’s fight”, which starts on Thursday.
The change of power, which came almost two months after the election, was delayed for weeks by Dudawho kept his political partners in office as long as possible.
Voters who opted for a change, including many young Poles, were eager for the change to finally happen, and the proceedings of the Parliament have sparked public interest, leading to an increase in the number of people watching on the internet of the parliament.
Szymon Holownia, a former reality TV personality who leads a party with Tusk, became the speaker parliament last month and has drawn interest as it tries to instill discipline in the sometimes chaotic assembly.
A Warsaw theater, which broadcast live from Monday’s proceedings, drew spectators who munched on popcorn and laughed as the prime minister spoke.
“A lot of stressful things have happened in the last eight years and I’m not surprised that this joy is over,” said Justyna Lemanska, a young worker at the media office to the audience.
There is relief for many women who have seen it Children’s rights have been taken away and LGBTQ+ people faced a hostile government for that some were forced to leave the country.
Law and Justice remains popular among many conservatives thanks to its adherence to Roman Catholic traditions, and the popularity of social spending. The party lowered the retirement age and introduced payments to families with children but also increased the payment of pensions to the elderly.
The day marked a bitter turning point for Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the leader of the conservative party who has led Poland for the past eight years but now, at 74, has seen the power he wielded.
For years, Kaczynski has accused Tusk, who has good relations with Germany and other countries, as representing Berlin’s success, although there is no evidence of that.
At the end of the parliamentary session, Kaczynski went up to the podium, turned to Tusk, and said angrily: “You are a German representative, only a German representative.”
Tusk graduated, but Holownia expressed her displeasure that the day had ended on such a painful note.
Former President Lech Walesa, who was hospitalized last week with COVID-19 and still weak, he traveled from his home to Gdansk to attend the parliamentary session.
The anti-libertarian communist lamented what he saw as the opening of democracy under Kaczynski. He appeared in parliament wearing a shirt emblazoned with the word “Constitution”—a slogan against Law and Justice. He watched the events from the balcony, and was given the applause of Tusk and other politicians.
Tusk’s government will face many challenges, including Russia’s war on the other side of the border in Ukraine.
Tusk plans to fly to Brussels for a EU Summit later in the week for important discussions on the future of Ukraine. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Russia’s closest ally in the EU, wants that Ukraine joins the EU and billions of euros in funding meant for the country have seen war to be removed from the agenda.
Poland’s foreign minister was once one of Kyiv’s staunchest allies when Russia invaded Ukraine nearly two years ago, but relations are increasing economic competition from Ukrainian food producers and truckers has angered Poles who say their lives are at risk.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted his congratulations to Tusk, saying: “When we stand together, the freedom of our two nations cannot be defeated.”
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Monika Scislowska, Rafal Niedzielski and Michal Dyjuk contributed to this report.