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Polish Pro-EU Opposition Parties Sign Coalition Agreement, Pledging to Overturn Abortion Ban and Strengthen EU Relations

The opposition coalition, led by former European Council chief Donald Tusk, will soon have an opportunity to form a new government with broad policy goals, despite differing ideologies, following the recent election where the alliance won a majority in Parliament.

Overview

  • The Polish pro-EU opposition parties, led by Donald Tusk, signed a coalition agreement to form a government following their victory in the parliamentary elections. The coalition includes Civic Coalition, the Third Way, and the New Left.
  • Despite differences in ideologies, the opposition coalition is united in improving relations with the European Union and unblocking funds for Poland due to the ongoing rule-of-law dispute with the EU.
  • One of the main policies pledged in the coalition agreement is overturning the near-total ban on abortion, which was brought into effect by a Constitutional Tribunal ruling in 2020. The abortion law is notably one of the harshest in Europe, triggering large-scale protests.
  • The coalition also aims to tackle other major issues such as restoring transparency to public finances, depoliticizing state-owned companies, and bolstering Poland's position in EU and NATO, especially in light of Russia's aggression in Ukraine.
  • Although Law and Justice (PiS) party, which took more votes than any single party in the elections, was given the first opportunity to form a government by President Andrzej Duda, it lacks a majority and potential coalition partner making its task likely to fail. The opposition coalition, however, awaits the chance to form a new government led by Donald Tusk.