Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced government changes on Monday, including the appointment of Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski as deputy prime minister, Reuters reported. Sikorski will also retain his top job at the Foreign Ministry, BTA reports.
Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski will take over a new expanded ministry that will merge finance and economy and will be responsible for all economic portfolios in Tusk's pro-European government.
The decisions come amid growing tensions in the ruling “Civil Coalition“ following the June presidential election, in which nationalist Karol Nawrocki defeated liberal candidate Rafal Trzaskowski, an ally of Tusk. The vote result has heightened concerns about the coalition's future, as the president is already exercising his veto power over government legislative initiatives.
The government's approval rating has been steadily declining since mid-2024. According to the latest opinion poll, support for the opposition has risen to 48%, while support for the government remains stable at 32%.
As part of the restructuring, Milosz Motyka from the coalition partner, the Polish Peasants' Party, will head the newly created Ministry of Energy. The Ministry of Justice will be entrusted to Judge Waldemar Żurek. It will play a key role in efforts to restore the rule of law standards, which critics say were weakened during the previous nationalist government.