Tusk survives the vote of trust: staying challenges for Poland!

Tusk survives the vote of trust: staying challenges for Poland!

Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk won a decisive vote in parliament on June 11, 2025. With 243 votes for and 210 against the government, he demonstrated the unity of its center-left coalition, which holds a total of 242 of the 460 seats in the SEJM. This step was necessary after his camp lost the presidential election on June 1, where the liberal candidate Rafał Trzaskowski narrowly defeated the national conservative Karol Nawrocki, which was supported by the opposition PIS. In his government declaration, Tusk emphasized that he did not believe in capitulation, and demanded support from his MPs to continue the ongoing government projects.

Tusk admitted the challenges that his coalition now has to cope with. These are larger than expected, especially with regard to central reform projects such as the liberalization of the right to abortion and the depoliticization of the judiciary, which could be made more difficult by Nawrocki's victory. The future president announced that they are strongly fighting the government and expecting resistance from the Presidential Palace. In view of these contradictions, Tusk also wanted to try to take responsibility for the political Situation in Poland in order to strengthen trust in his government. Dewezet reports on the challenges with which Tusk is confronted, especially in view of the coalition dynamics.

Cabinet environment and future plans

In his speech, Tusk announced a cabinet conversion for July, which could bring changes in the structure and new faces. The prime ministers had previously designed their strategy for the next two years in a meeting to react to the new political conditions. Tusk made it clear that despite the difficulties, he remains optimistic and emphasized the success of his government in the areas of economy and foreign policy. According to ZEIT ONLINE "Poland has returned to the extra class of world politics".

The last choice also brought unrest within the coalition. Some partners think about their whereabouts in the government alliance. This could endanger the stability of the government, especially since Tusk does not have enough voices to override possible veto decisions by the new President Nawrocki. In the past, Tusk himself has made numerous election promises that have not yet been implemented, which is criticized by opponents like PiS MP Jacek Sasin as a sign of inefficiency.

For Tusk, it is now becoming crucial to carefully plan the next steps and keep your coalition partners happy. Political scientist Antoni Dudek noted that a reinforcement of the cabinet may not be sufficient to restore approval for the government. Even if Trzaskowski, who received ten million votes, is under discussion as a possible successor for Tusk, this election face remains in the political discussion. The outcome of the vote is therefore only a first step in a developing political drama in Poland, which could set the course for the future of the country. Tagesschau provides further details about Tusk's challenges and the upcoming political struggles in the SEJM.