Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk is planning to continue with the momentum by doing a shuffle. Governments frequently succeed or fail based on whether or not the public believes they can fulfil their promises. Leaders must find ways to demonstrate that they are paying attention and are prepared to change their course if necessary when voters begin to lose faith. To get things done, it may be necessary to shuffle the deck, bring in new people to replace dependable leaders, or reduce the number. Tusk of Poland is hoping that a more cohesive staff can help him turn the tide.
Donald Tusk says the government needs a strong political figure
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced a cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday in a bid to regain momentum amid falling approval ratings and potential clashes with the new, opposition-backed nationalist president. Since Karol Nawrocki’s victory over Donald Tusk’s liberal ally Rafal Trzaskowski in June’s presidential election, dissension within the ruling pro-European coalition has grown.
Raising doubts about its future under a veto-wielding head of state. Under the reshuffle, Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski was promoted to deputy prime minister while keeping his current post. Tusk told reporters,
“We as a government need a very strong political figure in international relations.”
- Tusk has a vision for the nation.
- A strong leadership team means a strong nation and economy.
- There is no time for games. It has to be done now!
Big departures and new faces in Tusk’s most recent government transition
Important ministries, such as the interior and justice ministers, are being replaced in the reshuffle. In order to improve the efficiency of the administration, Tusk has also proposed a daring idea: combining multiple ministries into two sizable “super-ministries.” According to the prime minister, the new framework would expedite decision-making, reduce red tape, and demonstrate to voters his commitment to reform.
Tusk wants to dispel complaints that his administration has grown too sluggish and mired in bureaucracy and internal strife by reducing the size of the cabinet. To consolidate oversight of economic affairs, Tusk announced a new superministry combining finance and the economy to be headed by current Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski. Tusk expressed again that,
“The most important structural undertaking is building a viable financial and economic centre. There will be a single centre operating transparently and implementing a comprehensive economic policy.”
Despite the criticism, Tusk has hope and belief that the reshuffle will make things better
Milosz Motyka from the junior coalition party PSL will head a newly created energy ministry. A judge, Waldemar Zurek, was named to run the justice ministry as it seeks to shore up rule of law standards that critics say deteriorated under the previous nationalist government. Tusk’s coalition has steadily declined in opinion polls since mid-2024.
This month, the share of government opponents has risen to 48%, while the government’s support has held steady at 32%, the latest CBOS poll showed. Polls have traced the government’s drop in popularity to public disenchantment with a lack of concrete achievements, with the opposition landing effective blows over a failure to stem undocumented migration into Poland.
The reshuffle drew criticism from the main opposition Law and Justice party, which lost power in the 2023 election. The new ministers, according to their supporters, are seasoned but less polarising; they have a track record of achieving goals without starting pointless arguments. In order to restore momentum prior to municipal elections, Tusk’s supporters hope that this will reassure more moderate voters. Tusk, in his remarks announcing the reshuffle, called on supporters not to despair after Nawrocki’s presidential victory. Less talking and more action—that is what Tusk wants.