Polish President Delays Transition of Power Despite Election Results

Pro-European Coalition Vows to Restore Democratic Standards Amid Political Standoff

Polish President Andrzej Duda has named Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki as the caretaker leader of the transitional government, despite Morawiecki's party losing control of Parliament to a pro-European coalition.
The move has been criticized by political opponents who accuse Duda of delaying the transition of power to the new government led by former Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Szymon Holownia, an ally of Tusk and leader of the Poland 2050 party, has been elected as the speaker of the Sejm, the lower chamber of the Polish parliament.
The pro-European coalition, which won a majority in the recent election, has vowed to restore democratic standards and obtain billions of euros in EU funding that were frozen due to the previous government's controversial laws.
Despite the coalition's majority, the transition of power may be delayed for weeks as Duda has asked Morawiecki to attempt to form a new government.