Donald Tusk elected as Prime Minister by Polish Seimas

The Polish Seimas on Monday elected Donald Tusk as the new Prime Minister of Poland. The vote saw 248 Members of Parliament supporting Tusk’s candidacy, while 201 opposed.

In an address following the election, Tusk expressed his gratitude to the people of Poland. “First of all, I want to thank the Polish people. Thank you, Poland, this is a really wonderful day – not for me, but for everyone who believed for many years that things would get better, that we would drive away the darkness. And it happened – thanks to you,” Tusk declared.

The decision to elect Tusk comes after the Polish Seimas withdrew its confidence in Mateusz Morawiecki’s government. A total of 456 deputies participated in the voting, with 266 parliamentarians voting against, and 190 in support.

Following the no-confidence motion, the lower chamber swiftly presented Tusk as the candidate for the position of prime minister, marking a significant shift in the country’s leadership.

The political landscape in Poland underwent a transformation after parliamentary elections on October 15, where three opposition parties secured a majority. Subsequently, in November, these parties solidified their collaboration through a coalition agreement.

Tusk, who previously served as the Prime Minister of Poland from November 16, 2007, to September 22, 2014, now returns to the helm after a successful political career. On August 30, 2014, Tusk was elected as the President of the European Council, holding this position for two terms.