Donald Tusk becomes new Prime Minister of Poland

On December 11, the Polish House of Representatives (Sejm) voted to approve a proposal to assign the task of forming a new government to Mr. Donald Tusk, leader of the opposition Civic Coalition.

According to Polish media, the proposal to give Mr. Tusk the task of forming a government received 248 votes in favor, 201 votes against and no abstentions.

Mr. Tusk confirmed that he will appear before the House of Commons on December 12 to request a vote of confidence in the Cabinet he submitted.

President Andrzej Duda's office also announced that Poland's new government will be sworn in on December 13.

European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen has congratulated Mr. Tusk on becoming the new Prime Minister of Poland.

Meanwhile, international news agencies called this the end of eight years of rule by the Law and Justice Party (PiS), paving the way for a new pro-European government in Poland.

In the October 15 general election, PiS came first but lost its majority in the lower house. However, President Andrzej Duda, a PiS ally, has tasked incumbent Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki with forming a new government.

In a vote earlier in the day, Mr. Morawiecki's new government failed to receive the confidence of the House of Representatives.

At the vote, the Government led by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki received only 190 votes in favor, while there were 266 votes against.