Tusk criticised over not delivering on 100 election promises

As Poland’s government reaches the 100-day mark, the opposition and former ruling camp has criticised Prime Minister Donald Tusk for not fulfilling his 100 election promises, despite his claims his cabinet has done more than any other since the fall of communism.

The list of 100 election promises made by the now-ruling Civic Coalition (KO, EPP) was widely seen as a response to repeated accusations that the party was merely seeking to unseat the conservative Law and Justice party (PiS, ECR).

Promises included doubling the tax-free income threshold, offering teachers a 30% pay rise and ensuring the European Commission would release EU funds frozen for Poland under the PiS government due to concerns regarding the rule of law.

The latter was one of Tusk’s success stories with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pledging to release €137 million from the Next Generation and Cohesion Funds in response to the justice minister’s proposed judicial reforms.

Given the limited time at their disposal and the reality of dealing with PiS-backed President Andrzej Duda, doubts arose as to whether even half of the plan was feasible. According to various tracking tools, the Civic Coalition has fully or partially implemented 14 promises.

Tusk defended his government’s achievements.

“Those who accuse us of not having fulfilled all our commitments (…) are those who for the last three months have been doing everything to prevent changes,” he insisted.

Taking credit for PiS

While the change of government in Poland last December was greeted with enthusiasm in many European capitals, which hailed Poland’s “return to Europe”, some say the decision was made with unprecedented leniency as the Polish judiciary is still largely unreformed.

“The decision was based on what the previous government did,” Witold Waszczykowski (PiS), MEP and former foreign minister, told Euractiv.

He argued that the rule of law in Poland has only worsened since PiS lost power.

“The government attempts to change the legal order with parliamentary resolutions that have no legal force,” he said, noting that most of the announced bills had still not been submitted to parliament.

Thorny social issues

Another problem for the ruling coalition is its internal fragmentation, as it includes both left-wing and conservative parties that often disagree on key policies.

For example, Speaker Szymon Hołownia, leader of the socially conservative Poland 2050 (Renew), recently decided to postpone the debate on the bill to liberalise the abortion law until right after the local elections, which left-wing MP Paulina Matysiak called “pure opportunism”.

The conservative-leaning Hołownia-led Poland 2050 and the Polish People’s Party (PSL, EPP), which cooperate within the Third Way alliance, are afraid to reveal their views to voters with local elections looming, she told Euractiv.

“The Left’s position has always been clear: women have the right to decide about their body, and the (abortion) law should be liberalised,” she stressed.

Matysiak represents a smaller left-wing party, Left Together, which formally joined the ruling coalition but refused to join the government, citing insufficient financial guarantees for its key demands, including increased investment in housing, health and science.

She also opposes the abolition of the zero VAT policy on food and the end of energy subsidies, citing the negative impact on ordinary people’s lives, but expressed hope that the government would eventually find “the solutions it needs.”

Repair phase and ‘treading carefully’

While the left is pushing the social agenda, the Civic Coalition is continuing its ‘repair phase’ by investigating PiS’ alleged abuse of power and mismanagement of funds.

Key areas of concern, such as the judiciary and the media, remain on hold, with PiS President Andrzej Duda likely to block most initiatives.

Tusk will have to balance his good relations with Brussels and his promises to the protesting farmers. Much like current EPP leader Manfred Weber, Tusk points out flaws in the flagship Green Deal policy and vows to revise it.

“Judging any government after 100 days is like judging a book after the first 40 pages. If it is interesting, we read on; if not, we put it down. But can we be sure that we will like the end if we like the beginning? Obviously not,” Olgierd Annusewicz of the Centre for Political Analysis told Euractiv.

What is important is that the government’s actions are visible, he added.

(Sonia Otfinowska | Euractiv.pl)