POLAND: Donald Tusk nominated prime minister, tells people political war is over

Polish President Lech Kaczynski nominated political rival Donald Tusk for prime minister on Friday (November 9) after Tusk's centre-right party won a parliamentary election with promises of better EU ties and economic reform. Tusk will replace the president's twin brother Jaroslaw Kaczynski, whose conservative Law and Justice party came second in the October 21 vote. Tusk is due to present his cabinet and be formally appointed next Friday. The 50-year-old historian has vowed to pursue liberal economic policies and take the ex-communist nation of 38 million back into the European Union mainstream after two years of rocky relations under the nationalist Kaczynskis. Despite presiding over fast economic growth, the brothers have alienated many urban, young Poles with their social conservatism, scepticism about Europe and uncompromising style. Tusk's Civic Platform has pledged to accelerate economic reforms needed to bring Poland into the euro zone in 2012-13. "On this day, after many months of sharp political conflict and a sharp conflict of values, I can say to the Polish people that the time of political conflict and political war has ended." Tusk told journalists after he met with Kaczynski. But analysts say the Civic Platform and its small coalition partner, the centrist Peasants' Party, might struggle to implement bold reforms, such as a flat rate of income tax, because the president could veto their plans in parliament. President Kaczynski has already threatened to wield his veto to stop "liberal" legislation. He defeated Tusk in the 2005 presidential election after labelling his rival as a liberal who would cater only to the rich. He also opposes Tusk's plan to sign up to the EU charter, saying it could force strongly Catholic Poland to allow homosexual marriages.

ITN Source | November 10, 2007

Tags:. .social. .rich. .policies. .due. .prime